LET THERE BE SPROUTS

Make togue out of mung beans in seven days or fewer

One of the best ingredients to have during lockdown, quarantine, and strife

is a stash of mongo or mung bean. This kind of legume is built for storing as survivalists give them a good one to two years of usage when stored in cool, dry condition.

Mung bean is a good source of protein and perfectly eaten with rice. It takes on other flavors of proteins that are added during the cooking process, especially dried, salted, or smoked fish, shellfish, or meats. Another versatile ingredient are bean sprouts, which can be made out of these little beans.

In just three days, one can have sprouts, which are part of the super food group, according to healthy eating advocates. I did some research and combined some techniques in making my own togue or beans sprouts. This is a very rewarding exercise when following the simple steps and working clean in this little kitchen project. It is also a good activity to work with kids around, as it is informative and easy to do. In just four to seven days, one can create a miniature garden in their kitchen and harvest the bean sprouts.

Besides the myriad nutritional advantages that people can get from eating sprouts, growing your own assures sanitary methods are followed, like the quality of water and the cleanliness of the containers used, so that possibilities of salmonella and other parasite infections are eliminated.

Bean sprouts are bioactive and antioxidant food and good for a ketogenic diet.

Here is my method that combines several styles of sprouting to maximize growth and straightness of the sprouts with even stem lengths.

Materials needed :

• Plastic strainer

• Plate or bowl for catching drips of water

• Paper towels or large coffee filter paper

• Opaque plastic box or Styrofoam chest or insulated ice chest riser or bowl for the base

• 125gms of mung beans (at 250gms a small commercial sprouter is needed)

Procedure:

Day 1

1. Line your strainer with paper or filter paper.

2. Wash your mung beans well.

3. Spread your mung beans evenly on the strainer lined with paper. Crowding will cause uneven growth and crooked sprouts.

4. Put your catch plate under the strainer and wet the mung beans.

5. Place a riser on the bottom of your plastic box or Styrofoamchest cover to make sure there is no light.

Day 2

Wash the beans. They should have signs of cracking with little roots starting to appear. Add water before evening.

Day 3

To prevent odor and bacteria from developing, pass them again on running water. The sprouts should be formed and standing by this time (keep the sprouts covered).

Day 4

Sprouts are standing and starting to shed the hulls of the mung bean. Wash carefully with running water. It is good for harvest at this stage.

Day 5

Wash them with running water. Sprouts are tall and white ready for harvest as they are at their peak. You have the option to harvest all or let them get taller on Day 6.

Day 6

Sprouts have their white or blanched leaves and should be six inches tall.

Day 7

Wash the bean sprouts. At this point, they have to be harvested and used within the day. They can still be eaten raw but better for sautéing. Bean sprouts by this time are about eight to 10 inches tall.

Store sprouts in an inflated plastic bag or arranged in a paper lined air tight container.

In just three days, one can have sprouts, which are part of the super food group, according to healthy eating advocates.