Sprouting Mung Beans

Mung beans are the seeds of the plant Vigna radiata, which is widely cultivated in India, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Burma, as well as the hot and dry regions of Southern Europe and Southern USA. The plant is actually native to India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Mung beans are oval-shaped with a green colored husk. But, the hulled beans are yellow in color, and they are referred as 'mung dal' and not as 'mung beans'.

Mung beans are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, B, E, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron. Their nutritional value is further enhanced, when the beans sprout or germinate. As the seeds germinate, the enzymes present in them activate the inactive nutrients, which makes the sprouted seeds an extremely nutritious food.

How to Sprout Mung Beans at Home?

The process of sprouting involves allowing the beans to germinate by soaking them in water. Mung bean sprouts can be grown in both light and dark conditions, but the usual method is to expose the beans to natural or artificial light for about 4 hours a day. First of all, you would need organic and dry mung beans, and a glass canning jar. To do the sprouting in a jar, you will also need a sprouting lid or nylon mesh screen.

To begin with, rinse the mung beans thoroughly and put them in the canning jar. Now, fill the jar with water and let the beans soak in water for the whole night. Next day, rinse the beans carefully, and drain out all excess water with a strainer. Then put them back to the canning jar, and cover the mouth with a light cloth or the sprouting lid. Ideally, rinsing should be done for about 2 to 3 times a day for the first three days.

As the beans sprout, which usually takes place within two to three days, the skin or the hull will come out. To remove the hulls, you can put the beans in a large bowl, and rinse them thoroughly. Try to remove as many hulls as possible, after which, rinse the beans, and return them to the glass jar. You can stop the sprouting process in the second day, or wait till the fourth day to get really large and plump sprouts. Once the sprouts are ready, do not forget to rinse them for the last time to remove as many hulls as possible, and drain out all excess water. Now, put the sprouts in a dry canning jar with a tightly fitting lid, and store in the refrigerator.

The sprouts can last for 2 to 3 weeks, as mung beans have a long shelf life. But, it is better to smell the sprouts before using them, in order to check their freshness. One important thing to be kept in mind is that, the beans can double their size while germinating. So, sprout only that amount of beans, which you can consume within two to three weeks.

The sprouted beans can be eaten raw or added to salads. Besides their great taste, the sprouted mung beans are a power pack of vitamins and minerals. They are also a rich source of proteins. But unlike other beans, mung beans do not cause the problem of flatulence, as it is easily digestible. So, they can be enjoyed even by children and people with delicate digestive system. You can easily prepare this nutritious food at home, and they are sure help you stay healthy by providing a great many essential nutrients.