The sprouts used in salads actually sprout from beans. You can easily sprout your own.
Things Required:
6 tablespoonfuls of mung beans, chick-peas or lentils
Cheesecloth
Labels and pencil
3 clean glasses
Warm water
String or rubber bands
Directions:
Cull the beans.
Soak 4 tablespoonfuls of the beans overnight in warm water. Then drain them and divide them between two clean glasses. Put a layer of cheesecloth over the top of each of the glasses and tie it on with a string or rubber band.
Store the first glass in a warm, dark place like a cupboard. Store the second in the refrigerator.
Without soaking them, place the last two tablespoonfuls of the beans in the third glass. Label it and store it in the cupboard.
Keep the sprouts moist in all three glasses by rinsing them twice a day with lukewarm water. Drain off the excess water through the cheesecloth to prevent rotting or moulding.
This Is What Happens:
The batch of soaked beans stored in a warm, dark place sprouts and yields 112-168 g of sprouts!
The beans stored in the refrigerator and the unsoaked beans never sprout.
Science Behind It:
During the overnight soaking, the hard outer shell splits; the starch in the beans absorbs the water and the beans swell. That permits the embryo within each bean to take in water. But in addition to moisture, seeds need warmth and darkness in order to grow.
Harvest your crop and use the sprouts raw in salads or on sandwiches, or stir-fry them with scallions, soy sauce and garlic.
