I received a funny little housewarming present from my parents when we moved back to Adelaide a short while ago. It’s an indoor multi-tiered sprouter called Sprouts Alive.
I was excited. I could grow stuff outside and inside! And it’s easy. I would recommend it as a first step if you’re trying to encourage your kids to grow vegies, or even if you have no experience gardening and just want to try growing something.
All you do is put your seeds in a shallow bowl and cover with warm water. Leave them overnight to germinate then rinse them well. Next, put the seeds into the containers. Dribble some water into the top container and put the contraption on the windowsill in indirect light. The only maintenance you have to do is dribble fresh water into the container a few times a day (they’re thirsty little suckers). And voila! In only a few days you will have sprouts ready to cook with or eat.
You don’t have to buy a container like this one, though. Sprouts will grow happily if you put them in a clean jar and follow the steps above. You’ll also need to make a breathable lid for the jar using a bit of muslin, cheesecloth or even flyscreen secured with a rubber band. Also, after giving them a drink, tip out the water that collects at the bottom of the jar or else the sprouts might rot.
They really do grow incredibly quickly, especially when the weather is warm. Interestingly enough, the smaller the seed, the bigger the sprout – my mung beans ended up pushing off the upper container!
They resemble green troll dolls!
These sprouts got a bit out of hand; I should have used them a day or two earlier. Anyway, I ended up sticking them in a soup and stirfry, which worked just fine.
One of my favourite recipes using mung bean sprouts, though, is one that a Japanese friend made for our Christmas picnic lunch last year. It’s very simple and is probably more Korean than Japanese (it contains kimchi). Give it a go if you’ve got an abundance of sprouts and you’ll have a yummy, nutritious side dish.
Bean sprouts with kimchi – serves 2 as a side
Ingredients:
- 250g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 medium carrot, julienned
- 1/3 cup kimchi
Dressing:
- 1/2 tsp caster sugar
- 1 Tbs rice wine vinegar
- 2.5 Tbs soy sauce
- 1.5 Tbs sesame oil
Method:
1. Put bean sprouts in a medium saucepan. Add enough hot water from recently boiled kettle and boil the sprouts for 1 minute. Drain well.
2. In a serving bowl, combine carrot, kimchi and drained bean sprouts. In a small mixing bowl, make the dressing by mixing together caster sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Pour the dressing over the bean sprouts and kimchi and mix well.
*If you like, you can also sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top.
The Wordy Way 