Add a delicious and healthy crunch to salads and stir-fries or top your favorite soup with these mini nutrient bombs. Growing your own mung bean sprouts is both easy and takes next to no time!
Sprouted mung beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber and plant-based protein. With the consistency of bean sprouts and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor they compliment any dish!
WHY SPROUT MUNBG BEANS?
The nutritional content in sprouted seeds varies, depending on species, but as a general rule, sprouts contain notable amounts of vitamin C; traces of B vitamins; a surprising amount of protein and fiber; and small amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. In particular, mung beans are quite high in potassium, with 155mg in a cup-size serving.
According to Harvard Health, sprouted grains are easier to digest than their unsprouted counterparts.
During germination, the seed’s endosperm, which contains starch, breaks down. Starch is what makes grains and seeds hard to digest for many people.
According to this publication, germination promoted a significant decrease in resistant starch along with an increase in the available starch percentage. Total dietary fiber contents increased during germination and improved the insoluble/soluble dietary fiber ratio.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Whole mung beans– available from most supermarkets and health food shops.
A jar large enough for the mung beans to expand as they germinate
A colander or strainer
A clean tea towel or muslin and an elastic band
You can also invest in a sprouting kit which makes rinsing the spouts a breeze but is not essential.
HOW TO SPROUT SAFELY
The warm, humid conditions it takes to grow sprouts also happen to be the perfect conditions for growing dangerous bacteria like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli.
–So, place your sprouting seeds in a cool room or refrigerator during very warm weather. The germination process may take longer.
–Look through your seeds before sprouting, and remove any damaged or miscolored peas.
–Rinse your seeds/sprouts in running water. No matter what sprouting method you use, rinse your seeds/sprouts frequently with clean water. At least twice a day is recommended, 3 to 4 times a day is better. Keeping the seeds/sprouts moist allows them to germinate, and rinsing them frequently helps keep bacteria from growing.
HOW TO SPROUT MUNG BEANS
1.Measure how many beans you want to sprout. Remember, they will more than double in size after soaking and grow even more after sprouting! Choose a jar for sprouting that will accommodate this growth.
2. Remove any damaged or discolored beans.
3. In a large bowl, rinse and soak the mung beans in water overnight.
4. Drain the beans and rinse them well under running water. Allow them to drain completely before transferring them to the jar.
5. Lay the jar on its side and cover it with a clean tea towel. You can use an elastic band to secure the tea towel.
6. Rinse and drain the mung beans at least twice a day, more often in warmer weather. Be sure to allow them to drain completely before returning them to the jar.
Water left sitting in the jar will encourage the growth of harmful bacteria. Keep the jar covered with a tea towel or place the jar in a dark room.
7. Repeat the process of rinsing and draining for 2-3 days, although you will most likely see the beans begin to germinate before this. In very hot weather, you may need to keep the jar in a cool room. Germination may take longer in a cooler environment.
Your mung bean sprouts are ready to eat when they have developed a ‘tail’ that is about half a centimeter long, but you can also wait for more growth.
8. After your sprouts have fully developed, do a final rinse and drain thoroughly before storing them in a clean container in the refrigerator.
Rinsing is key to safety.
Standing water can lead to mold and bacteria, so to get rid of the excess, you can use a clean tea towel or kitchen paper to pat the peas dry before storing them in a jar or zip lock in the fridge.
Best eaten within 3 – 4 days; you can rinse them every now and then but be sure to allow excess water to drain away before returning them to the fridge.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Enjoy as they are as a simple snack or scatter through a salad to add protein and a delicious, nutty crunch.
Add to any soup or stew in place of already cooked beans.
For a healthy and protein-packed snack, try oven-roasting your sprouted mung beans. Simple spread out on a baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil, and season generously with sea salt and some chili flakes if you like a spicy snack. Roast in the oven at 200ºC or 400ºF for about 20 minutes.
You might also enjoy these Sprouted Chickpea Falafel
And these delicious Curry Roasted Chickpeas!
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How To Sprout Mung Beans
Sprouted mung beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber and plant-based protein. With the consistency of bean sprouts and a slightly sweet, nutty flavour they compliment any dish.
Growing your own is both easy and requires minimal equipment! All you need is :
- A wide-mouthed jar large enough for the peas to expand as they germinate, no lid is needed.
- A colander or strainer
-A clean tea towel and an elastic band.
Ingredients
- Dried mung beans
- Fresh water
Instructions
1. Measure out how many beans you want to sprout. Remember they will more than double in size after soaking and grow even more after sprouting! Choose a jar for sprouting that will accommodate this growth.
2. Remove any damaged or discolored beans.
3. In a large bowl, rinse and soak the mung beans in water overnight.
4. Drain the beans and rinse them well under running water. Allow them to drain completely before transferring them to the jar.
5. Lay the jar on its side and cover it with a clean tea towel. You can use an elastic band to secure the tea towel.
6. Rinse and drain the mung beans at least twice a day, more often in warmer weather. Be sure to allow them to drain completely before returning them to the jar.
Water left sitting in the jar will encourage the growth of harmful bacteria. Keep the jar covered with a tea towel or place the jar in a dark room.
7. Repeat the process of rinsing and draining for 2-3 days, although you will most likely see the beans begin to germinate before this. In very hot weather you may need to keep the jar in a cool room. Germination may take longer in a cooler environment.
Your mung bean sprouts are ready to eat when they have developed a ‘tail’ that is about half a centimeter long but you can also wait for more growth.
8. After your sprouts have fully developed do a final rinse and drain thoroughly before storing them in a clean container in the refrigerator.
Rinsing is key to safety. Standing water can lead to mold and bacteria so get rid of the excess, you can use a clean tea towel or kitchen paper to pat the peas dry before storing them in a jar or zip lock in the fridge. Best eaten within 3 - 4 days, you can rinse them every now and then but be sure to allow excess water to drain away before returning them to the fridge.
Notes
Rinse your seeds/sprouts in running water. No matter what sprouting method you use, rinse your seeds/sprouts frequently with clean water. At least twice a day is recommend, 3 to 4 times a day is better. Keeping the seeds/sprouts moist allows them to germinate, and rinsing them frequently helps keep bacteria from growing.
Serving suggestions
Scatter through a salad to add protein and a delicious, nutty crunch.
Add to any soup or stew in place of already cooked beans.
For a healthy and protein-packed snack, try oven roasting your sprouted mung beans. Simple spread out on a baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil, and season generously with sea salt and some chili flakes if you like a spicy snack. Roast in the oven at 200ºC or 400ºF for about 20 minutes.
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