Green thumb
Grow veg indoors and sprout a new way of doing things
Need a hobby for little people who have been home for an extra two weeks’ school holidays? Try an indoor veg garden. It may be too hot and too wet to go outside at this time of the year but it’s amazing what edible crops you can grow indoors.
Sprouts are the easiest food crop to grow and most are ready to eat within 36 hours. Sprouts can be used as the main ingredient in a meal or added as a side dish.
Sprouts are particularly nutritious and generally have a higher nutrient value than the mature plant of the seed. Most fresh sprouts contain high levels of vitamins C, K and B6, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and folate.
Never use garden seeds for sprouting, as they are often treated with chemicals to prevent fungal growth. Buy seed marketed for edible sprouts from a supermarket or health food store.
Sprouts are best when eaten fresh; one cup of seed will make enough sprouts for a family meal, grow a little often for freshness and nutrition. If sprouts are left to grow too long, they may become bitter, so grow and consume them fresh and young.
Mung bean sprouts are the easiest and quickest crop to grow, and allows you to quickly discover the magic of seed germination. Mung beans can be purchased from the local supermarket or health food store for as little as $4 a kilo. A kilo of sprouts will make 10 large bowls of sprouts, sufficient for 10 family meals. Not only are sprouts nutritious and delicious, they are extremely economical.
Mould and bacterial contamination is a problem with food preparation in the tropical north, particularly during the wet season and notoriously with sprouts. To avoid mould or bacterial continuation use an open plastic sieve and bowl of similar size to germinate the seed, rather than an enclosed sprouting jar. Firstly clean the bowl and the sieve with some diluted white vinegar.
To grow the sprouts, place one cup of mung bean seeds into the bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak overnight. The next morning, drain the sprouts into the sieve, rinse under the kitchen tap and cover the top of the sprouts with a sheet of damp paper towel and place the sieve in the bowl. Rinse the sprouts under the tap every 12 hours, each time removing and replacing the paper towel, allow to drain and place the sieve containing the sprouts back into the bowl. The sprouts will be ready to eat in 24 hours.
Buckwheat sprouts are fast-growing and will be ready to eat in two days. However, buckwheat kernels stick together when soaked, so instead of soaking them, flush the buckwheat kernels regularly under a tap every three hours, this way they will stay moist and separate until the sprouts are ready when they are about 10mm long.
Wheat is one of the cheapest of all seeds to buy for sprouting. Soak wholegrain wheat seed overnight and use the same method as mung bean sprouts. Wheat sprouts are delicious when added to scones, muffins and breads, or try them in soups and stews.
Wholegrain brown rice sprouts are delicious and also very economical. Use the same method as mung beans for rice sprouts. The wholegrain rice will take a little longer to germinate so ensure they are flushed under a running tap every six to eight hours.
Some seeds are difficult to sprout and take longer to germinate. Other seeds that are quick to sprout are radish, chives, beans, peas and lettuce. It’s great fun to grow sprouts and they are delicious eaten as a salad or added to rice and pasta dishes.
From the smallest seed to the largest. The coconut will take six months to sprout but the end result is worth the wait. Find a fresh coconut, sit the nut on an angle in a pot full of sand. Place the pot in a sunny place and water twice a week. The coconut will sprout within a month, allow to grow 30cm. Cut the coconut in half and extract the apple (embryo) – this can be sliced and added to salads, or curries. Alternatively, grate the apple and cook it with equal quantities of rice covered in coconut milk for coconut rice pudding; add a spoon of coconut sugar for extra sweetness.