How's your quarantined time so far? Zoom classes and Chill with a bottle of boba or delivery foods? How about growing some fresh bean sprouts with that boba bottle you just emptied out? You will be amazed after 4 days!
They are crunchy, watery and versatile. They can go with everything, from egg to beef to vegetable mixes. Plus, they are super easy to cook and full of nutrition.
Materials:
a cup of green bean (mung beans)
plastic bottle
a piece of cloth
water
a tray / cup
somewhere dark
free time every 4-6 hours
Steps:
1. Wash the beans and soak them overnight
2. Wash the bottle and cut some holes in the bottom so that water can run through.
3. Put beans into the bottle. Rinse them over cold water and drain.
4. Put a piece of wet cloth over it to keep them moist. The weight can make sprouts grow thick. You can put other heavy things (a bag of beans or another piece of cloth) on top of the wet cloth, if you want extra thick sprouts. Use a cup underneath to hold extra water.
5. Place it under room temperature. It is important to place it under complete darkness to prevent photosynthesis (otherwise they will taste bitter.) Wrap it around with black plastic bags or place it in your closets.
6. Check, Rinse without the cloth, Drain them. Wash the cloth to keep it wet and not smell.
7. Repeat step 6 every 4-6 hours (or they may rot and die and stink).
Make sure to minimize their time under the light.
PS: The growing speed may vary. This is just a reference
They just looked swelled with small white sprouts.
Their "tails" got longer. They were exploring and seeking for nutrition. KEEP BEING STRONG!!!!
Some got rid of their green coat. Kids needed more room to grow.
Did you notice how tall they got?! Almost fill all the cups!
Okie! You needed a bigger apartment! How about a pan on the stove?
7. Harvest and Be Creative
Hope you enjoy this fun journey. Do not forget to share your amazing result on Instagram @spoon_ucla.
Since you already made so far, you unlocked our bonus portion!
Here are some recipes we found.
- Chinese （But I just sauteed with eye-ball amount of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of Sichuan pepper, green onion and things I like (mushroom, green pepper, eggs)
- Korean （also Bibimbap and soups)
- Japanese ( Perfect with Ramen too)
- Vietnamese (Don't forget what's added in your Pho)
- Thai (I cannot get enough of it. Also that sprinkle of sprouts on top of Nam ngaio )
- Nepal (maybe mung bean sprouts is not enough)
There is more to explore!
Besides infinite amount of recipes, we need to think outside of species! Other things have the potential to sprout too!
Let me start your bean journey by offering an incomplete list of seed candidates (recommend to search tutorials and tips before you start) :
Pea: lentil, pea, chickpea, soy bean, alfalfa
Grains: oat, wheat, corn, rice, barley, rye, quinoa, buckwheat
Oil-seeds: sunflower, sesame, peanut, hemp, almond
Cabbage: broccoli, cabbage, mustard, radish,arugula, turnip
Parsley: carrot, celery, fennel, parsley
As you go alone the journey, you may encounter another similar variation called microgreen.
If you want to try that, here are some useful tutorials.
1. Top 5 Microgreens you must grow
2. Beginners Guide to Growing Microgreens
3. How to Grow Microgreens from Start to Finish (Complete Guide)
Good Luck on You New Journey with Mini Gardens (●ˇ∀ˇ●)