How to make sprouts at home

Most of you would guffaw at the title – “How to make sprouts?”  Who would want to know? In fact, who wouldn’t know? What’s there to make?  Doesn’t it grow all by itself, when left alone? 

Well, even I thought so before I met this fellow buyer at the super market. I have been seeing old ladies selling varieties of sprouts on various pavements in Mumbai ever since I landed in this maximum city 11 years back. And I always thought people especially working women picked them on their way back home probably because they couldn’t manage to plan ahead for the evening’s dinner and these ready sprouts acted as the knight savior.

Well, as it turns out, that’s not always the case. There are people who think that making sprouts need a special gadget called “The Sprout Maker”.

Now it so happened that this pretty lady, whose name I wanted to ask, but could not, was checking out all the varieties of packed sprout pouches, holding them close to her eyes, taking them farthest her extended hands were capable of, trying to smell them through the plastic cover and finally decided that I was a better judge. Probably she was impressed by the speed at which I grabbed the veggies and shoved them into the trolley…she had in all probabilities mistaken my rush to be my expertise in spotting the best vegetables on the shelf.

“Do you think these are good? They are not yesterday’s no?”  Honestly, I was the last person to answer that. Why even Hubby was a better judge for this kind of stuff. But I couldn’t tell her that. Atleast not now. When I am blogging about how to cook I should be knowing how to choose my ingredients too! Moreover that’s easy, who doesn’t know that fresh things are always better than packed ones!

“Difficult to say, I have never bought these” I answered honestly “But why do buy these; you can make them at home, no?”

The beautiful eyebrows made 2 gorgeous contours which translated into surprise.

“But wasn’t it is cheaper to buy them than to invest in another gadget?” Her kitchen is already over flowing with them, she complains.

Now it was my turn to be surprised.

“What gadget?” I ask.

It was then that the pretty lady in blue told me that she is buying ready made sprouts for months now, since her gym dietician has put her on a sprouts diet. The gym had also offered her a designer “Sprout Maker” which cost Rs. 5999 after a hefty discount, but she had figured out that buying her sprouts from the mart would be cheaper, and would also spare her of one more gadget. Her house was anyways filled with scores of them, some to ward of evil spirits and some more to invite good ones.  God Bless Her!

It was then that the knowledge dawned upon me that there are still naïve souls in this part of  the world who think sprouts can be made only with a gadget. I quickly explained how she can get her sprouts at home daily without any extra gadget or any extra cost. Only thing she would need to spare was a prior notice of 24 hrs !

Ingredients:

Any whole seed that you want to sprout – Moong, alfalfa, Bengal gram, white/green peas, chick peas, moth, practically - you can try any seed !

How to:

Step 1: Wash the seeds

Step 2: Soak them in 3 times water

Step 3: After 8 hrs, drain the excess water, cover and let it stay

Step 4: Sprouts are ready after 12-16 hrs. Consume/cook immediately or refrigerate. DONE !

Note: The shoot will keep growing with time, not to worry. Just take out a handful whenever you want and enjoy a light, tasty and healthy snack anytime ! However do consume the refrigerated sprout within 7 days :)