Since I live in an area without large Asian market-fresh bean sprouts are impossible to buy. My best option is to grow them. This is how I grow mung bean sprouts. It’s a similar process for soybean sprouts but it’s harder to find soybeans that will sprout. These beans were bought at Whole Foods in the bulk section. Usually, I buy the cheap ones at Asian markets but I was at Whole Foods and saw these.
To grow them I use a colander and bowl that came as a set. They need to be kept in the dark and rinsed off twice per day this set makes it easy.
To start them out place the colander in the bowl add enough mung beans to cover just over half of the flat surface. Spread them out (you do not have to be perfect) and cover them with water.
Place them in a dark place and cover them with a thick dark towel. I use a closet and keep the door closed. Leave them like this overnight.
If the beans get too much light they will turn green and bitter.
This is the beans 16 hours later. Notice they have swelled up and have basically covered the bottom of the colander.
This is a closeup of the beans. Notice the little whitetails? From now we do not want to cover them with water.
From now on twice per day change the water and rinse the beans off. This time when changing the water fill the bowl until the water just touches the seeds. Return it to a dark place and cover.
After 48 hours (two full days). The water was changed this morning and just now.
Roots are starting to come thru the bottom of the colander.
After seven days they were ready to harvest. When it’s warmer they will be ready faster. If you want them to be thicker place a little weight on them. But I do not worry about that.
To harvest them I use scissors to cut them close to the roots.
After harvesting and before storing give soak them a good soak in water. Sometimes like this batch, the brown part will still be on the sprouts. I just leave them but you could pull them off.
But do not let them get a lot of sunlight or they will turn green. Even cut from the roots they are still trying to grow.
