How to make healthy 'Sprouts' at home

Sprouts ( mod aleli kad dhanya in marathi) are extremely healthy and low in calories and a major source of plant based protein. They are also a source of fiber and other essential vitamins and minerals. They are also good for your skin, eyes and hair, known to boost metabolism and help to protect against many common ailments.

So, how do you make sprouts at home? I got this question from a lot of my friends, after I recently made Misal, so I decided to make this post.

You can make sprouts out of pretty much any kind of grain or legume. The more popular ones are moong (mung, green gram bean), matki (moth bean), dried green peas, horse gram, soy, fenugreeek, alfalfa to name just a few. 

Procedure:

• First Day

Take desired quantity of legumes/grains (considering that they will double after sprouting). Wash and fill the bowl with lukewarm water till it is at least 2-3 inches over the legumes. Preferably soak them overnight.

• Second Day

Drain the water and wash the soaked legumes/grains and place them on a colander to drain a bit. After that take a towel or soft cotton cloth and place it inside the colander, and pour the legumes/grains on it. Rinse the legumes/grains thoroughly at least 2-3 times during the day and return them to their sprouting position in the cloth/towel.

• Third day

You will see that they have begun to sprout. By afternoon or evening, they are ready for use. If the weather is warm, they will be ready in the morning by 3rd day. The length of the sprout should be more than the legume/grain, that is how you know they are ready. 

Enjoy your healthy sprouts in a variety of recipes. I will try to post a few more sprout recipes soon.

Till my next post, take care everyone!