Sprouts are a simple way to get nourishing fresh food into the winter diet when the garden is less productive.
A greenhouse with a hole in its roof, thanks to a rough night-time landing by a fat possum, helped cement what was probably inevitable after weeks abroad. This year, my winter veges will all be coming from the grocer. Well, not quite all, as it 
happens.
Relieved to be relaxing at home with my family after a month in another hemisphere, I was sitting at the table having lunch. “What are these, Mummy?” asked three-year-old Jacob, riffling through the salad bowl and pulling out a commercially grown mung bean. “Sprouts,” I replied. “Do you like them?” “Mummy, they are delicious!”
I was filled with childhood memories of my mother sprouting alfalfa, lentils and mung beans in the hot-water cupboard. She always insisted we ate the most natural of raw foods. Every now and then, though, she’d take the healthy eating too far. We still remind her of the story of my older brother – then about the same age as Jacob – sitting with his bowl of muesli, furiously muttering, “Sprouts, sprouts, sprouts, out, out, out!” His fingers were trembling with rage as he picked the offending items from his breakfast. Enough was enough.
But time has moved on, and with my son astonished by my revelation that we can grow food in a cupboard as well as in the garden, it was time for some investigation and a trip to the health-food store.
Sprouts are a simple way to get nourishing fresh food into the winter diet when the garden is less productive. It is a matter of soaking and rinsing certain grains, seeds, beans and legumes until they germinate and shoot their cotyledon (their first tiny leaves). A good source of protein, vitamins and important minerals, sprouts are also low in fat, high in fibre and cholesterol-free.
Reflecting conditions in the soil, the key factors to trigger growth are moisture, warmth (18-22°C) and darkness. A warm cupboard near a heat source, such as sunlight or a frequently used stove, provides a good environment. If you don’t have suitable cupboard space, put the container in a box in a dull corner, or place near your computer fan. Although darkness is required to start the germination, it’s best to use a clear container, as a touch of sun will give the first leaves a burst of chlorophyll for added nutritional value.
Getting the moisture right requires more attention. First, it’s important to wash the hard sprouts gently but thoroughly, as you would rice before cooking. After this rinse, the seeds need to be soaked. This can take from 12 hours for beans and grains to just a few hours for small seeds such as radish, red clover or alfalfa.
Some organic books advise against using chlorinated water for fear of hindering growth, but it won’t greatly affect the results. If you want to use filtered water but don’t have any to hand, stand a jug of water containing a handful of dandelion leaves for 24 hours, as this is said to adequately remove the toxins. Discard the leaves in the garden. Alternatively, you can boil some water and let it cool, or just let tap water stand for 1-2 days to allow the chlorine gas to evaporate.
The most popular growing method is to use an Agee jar with a netting or cheese-cloth lid that makes rinsing and draining easy. The jar readily converts into a storage container once the sprouting is under way. Remember that sprouts absorb water and expand as they grow, so start with the jar no more than a quarter full of the hard sprout. You will need to rinse them two or three times a day to keep the sprouts fresh and moist.
In this work-focused world you could also try germinating a jar of sprouts in a drawer at the office, as that way they can be rinsed during your lunch break. They also make a healthy snack. Otherwise, rinsing once in the morning and once at night at home is adequate for most sprouts. With an average sprouting time of only three or four days, it’s not as tiresome as it sounds to fit this into your routine.
Rinsing is important as it maintains moisture and prevents rot or mould. If your sprout water becomes murky and brackish, throw everything out and start again.
The seeds can also be laid out on top of paper towels in a container and misted twice a day. Alternatively, buy muslin bags that can lie in a container to soak, then be rinsed and hung up when ready to sprout.
At the top end of the market are little sprouting dishes or towers, which are user-friendly. Check the price tag, though, as I paid $50 for one that’s 10cm wide and 5cm tall. It makes you wonder whether a piece of plastic is really that much better than an old preserving jar. If you can find a cheaper deal, these commercial sprouters are definitely convenient in a small kitchen, especially if you want to grow a variety of sprouts.
Once the sprouts are well on their way, a little sunlight to add that touch of green is all that’s needed before they’re ready to eat. Although best eaten on the first day, they will still taste better than store-bought ones for a good two or three days. Store them in the fridge and rinse each day to maintain freshness.
Once you have the method sorted, the fun part comes in experimenting with the different grains, beans, legumes or seeds that are readily available. Make sure they are not old or chemically treated. Start with mung beans, perhaps followed by a special mix. The advantage of the mixes is that they give you an assortment of flavours and nutrition. Select varieties that sprout at the same rate, as this is important if you want to harvest the sprouts together.
Best eaten raw are peas and lentils of all sorts, alfalfa, radish, red clover, mustard, basil, broccoli, fenugreek, quinoa and cress.
So far, I’ve not heard “sprout, out” from either child, and I’m sure if I learn from my mother’s misguided earnestness and keep the sprouts out of the muesli, the fad might carry her wisdom of a healthy diet through to the next generation.