Mung bean sprouts are a nutritious and easy-to-grow vegetable used in Chinese cooking. Soak beans in water for 8-12 hours, then place in a jar with a mesh lid and grow in a dark area. Wash every 8-12 hours and harvest after 2-8 days.
Bean sprouts are a type of bean sprout commonly used in Chinese cooking. Dried mung beans are sprouted in areas with low light. The resulting sprout is a crunchy white vegetable used raw in salads or lightly cooked. Sprouted beans are nutritious and a good source of vitamins, proteins and enzymes.
Bean sprouts are the first growth that emerges from the bean after germination. Mung bean sprouts are traditionally between 2 and 4 inches (about 5 and 9 cm) long when eaten. The delicate sprouts have a crunchy and slightly sweet taste. Sprouting beans at home is a quick and cheap way to add fresh, nutritious greens to your diet. Mung bean sprouts are high in protein; vitamins A, C and E; and they are a good source of iron and potassium.
Mung beans can be sprouted at home with minimal equipment. The seeds are first washed in water and any floating or broken beans are removed. Once thoroughly washed, the beans are soaked in room temperature water, or water at least 32°F (about 0°C), for 8 to 12 hours. The soaking process softens the tough seed coat, allowing water to penetrate and stimulate germination.
A mason jar works well for growing mung bean sprouts. A mesh lid or a lid with holes drilled should be used. The wet beans are placed in the glass jar and the lid is secured. The jar should be placed on its side in a dark area, as mung beans will germinate in an area with lots of natural light which will turn green. They are just as edible but lack the traditional white color.
Mung bean sprouts should be washed every 8-12 hours during the germination process. The jar can be filled with water and then turned upside down to drain. The mesh lid allows water to escape while preventing the sprouts from dropping. Mung beans sprout best in a temperature range of 70 to 75°F (about 21 to 23°C).
Mung beans germinate in one day and fully emerge in two to three days, producing shoots about half an inch (1 to 2 cm) long by the second day. By the fourth or fifth day, the shoots grow 2 inches (about 5 cm long) and, by the eighth day, the shoots are 3 to 3.5 inches long (about 8 to 9 cm). The sprouts can be harvested at any point during the process. The youngest shoots have the most delicate flavor and texture.
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