A step-by-step guide on how to Sprout Mung beans at home without any special equipment.
The mung bean also known as the moong bean, monggo, green gram, or mung is from the legume family and is mainly cultivated in Asian countries. It is a high source of protein, fiber, iron, and antioxidants. (Source Internet).
How to consume Mung Beans
Moong beans can be consumed as in dal or in soup. One can soak it and make chillas(pancakes). However, if you want to get more from it or the best way to consume them is to sprout them.
What is Sprout?
Sprouts are like very young plants that have been allowed to germinate from seeds.
Why Sprout?
Sprouting or germination is thought to improve the nutritional value of the beans and also make them easier to digest. Also, a cup of sprouted mung beans has much fewer calories.
How to consume Sprouts?
Sprouts are generally consumed raw or lightly sauteed. They can be enjoyed as additions to salads, a complete salad or in pancakes or stuffed into parathas or in the form of curries like Mugachi Usal or Misal.
Food poisoning or Indigestion with sprouts
However one needs to be careful with the ways the sprouts are made. One needs to have proper hygiene conditions while making sprouts. Everything we use should be clean and sterile. Generally, this happens as many consume it raw. They are prone to bacteria growth and hence if you feel they are too slimy to touch or have gone bad it is best to discard them. At times sprouts also go bad if they are exposed to a lot of warm environments.
Why Sprout at home?
- It’s economical and budget friendly
- Pesticide and free from any chemicals.
- Fresh and less risk of contamination.
Shelf life of Mung Sprouts
Once they are sprouted they can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Can sprouts be frozen?
Yes, they definitely can. Whenever I make sprouts, I make a big batch and store them in the freezer. I simply use it as required. This helps me in using it on the go and I need not worry or plan for 4-5 days.
Making moong sprouts in a muslin cloth
I know there are special boxes to make sprouts. However, I do not find any need for it. I have been making sprouts using a simple clean muslin cloth or a clean thick kitchen towel.
Sprouting mung beans or any other beans is very common in India or at our place. I have seen my mom doing this almost every week and I follow the same process. I sprout using a muslin cloth.
One can make sprouts in a clean sterile jar too. I have never made it in a jar or a vessel, but one can definitely do so.
Time required to make sprouts at home
The time required to sprout mung beans or any other beans depends on two things I believe. First, how good the beans are. Second and the major factor is the weather or how warm or cold your place is.
If you are in a hot and humid climate sprouting can happen in as good as 12 -24 hours. Tiny sprouts will appear in 12 hours and if you want to let them grow further it will take more time.
If you are in a cold climate it can take anywhere between 3-4 days. I am now at a place where temperatures are in the range of 0-15 Deg C. So it takes a bit of time.
Process of making sprouts at home
- Clean the moong beans of any impurities.
- Rinse it well under clean running water.
- Soak it in a clean tap or lukewarm water for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- If you are living in a cold climate soak them in lukewarm water. It helps soak the beans well and even sprout.
- Once soaked, discard the water and rinse again.
- Wrap the soaked moong beans in a clean muslin cloth or a kitchen towel.
- A thick kitchen towel helps in sprouting the beans fast and evenly.
Few more recipes with different sprouts
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How to Sprout Mung beans at Home
Equipment
- Colander – Optional
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Mung Beans
- 3-4 cup Water
- Clean Muslin Cloth or any clean Kitchen Towel
Instructions
Day 1
- Clean and rinse the Mung beans in clean tap water, 3-4 times.
- Soak it in a clean tap or lukewarm water for 6-8 hours or overnight.1 Cup Mung Beans
- Water should be 3-4 times more than the mung beans.3-4 cup Water
- If you are living in a cold climate soak them in lukewarm water. It helps soak the beans well and even sprout
Day 2
- Once the mung beans are soaked for 6-8 hours or overnight, discard the water.
- At times if you have added less water, all the mung beans might have not soaked properly.
- In this case add more water and let it soak further for 2-3 hours.
- The soaked water might appear slightly discolored as seen below. Do not worry it’s not gone bad. It’s a natural process.
- Rinse the mung beans again in clean tap water.
- Take a clean muslin cloth or a kitchen towel.Clean Muslin Cloth or any clean Kitchen Towel
- Keep the clean cloth over a strainer or colander.
- Now add the mung beans to it discarding any water.
- Give a rinse again to the mung beans.
- Cover the moong beans with the cloth. (Grab the edges of the cloth and give it a twist on the top to loosely close it like forming a potli or a parcel.)
- Keep this aside in a clean dry place.
Day 2 – After 7-8 hours
- I just checked this after 8 hours just to take a picture. I generally do not open it before the next day. So as you can see there are some sprouts coming up.
Day 3
- Check if your mung beans are sprouted. If in a hot environment, it might have.
- If not just sprinkle some water, cover it, and keep it aside again.
Day 4
- The mung beans should sprout on this day. If not there is a problem and chances are that the beans have gone bad.
- I see that my mung beans are sprouting. They are actually done but I keep it a day further at times to let them grow a bit more.
Day 4
- After another 10 hours, the sprouts have grown more.
- At this point I use or freeze the sprouts as required.
Using Sprouts
- When using sprouts in any recipe, give them a quick rinse.
- If not using right away, do not rinse and store it in a clean and sterile air-tight container or zip lock in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and use as required.
- If storing in the freezer, do not rinse and store in a clean and sterile air-tight container or zip lock in the freezer for up to 3 months and use as required.
Notes
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Priya Vj
Monday 20th of March 2023
Home made sprouts are hygienic and healthy and we can monitor the sprouting depending on the climatic conditions. Your post is very informative and elaborate for beginners who want to make sprouts at home.
Seema Sriram
Sunday 5th of March 2023
Sprouts are so expensive to purchase. In fact these fool poof methods will be so good to have that handful of sprouts per day.
Kalyani
Sunday 26th of February 2023
the muslin cloth that you have used works best for me too! with the humidity here in summers, these sprout so beautifully. part of my weekly menu prep to make moong sprouts.. and am eyeing that mung sprout buddha bowl too!
jayashree t rao
Thursday 23rd of February 2023
Love these sprouted moon beans. I too make them in the same way. Informatibve post for those who want to know aboout the sprouting methods.
Mayuri Patel
Wednesday 22nd of February 2023
I too sprout mung beans at home. It is the best and so healthy as I love to use them in my salads. I usually rinse the moong beans every day till they sprout so that they do not become slimy.