Sprouting Instructions
Yields approximately 1 Cup (1/2 lb.) of Sprouts
Put 1/2 Cup of seed* into a bowl or your Sprouter.
Add 2-3 times as much cool (60-70°) water.
Mix seeds up to assure even water contact for all.
Allow seeds to Soak for 8-12 hours.
Note: Adzuki Beans will pale somewhat as they swell with water. Before you end your soak, check them: If you see that on some of your beans, part of the bean (one end usually) is still as dark as it was before soaking, they need a little more time to soak - to make sure they have taken up all the water they need.
For that reason we generally soak Adzukis for 12 hours.
If we are in a hurry we'll use warmer water - 80° is a good starting point if you want to experiment with shorter soak periods, but be careful not to go too hot - it can cook your seeds in which case they will never sprout.
Adzukis also tend to have more hard seed than other seed types. If you buy your seed from us this is not a concern, but if you buy Adzuki or other seeds elsewhere be sure to examine them after soaking to make sure there are no hard seeds (seeds that are as hard after soaking as before) lurking at the bottom. If there are - throw those (the hard ones) out! They are easy to spot as they are smaller than those that are swollen with water.
Empty the seeds into your sprouter if necessary.
Drain off the soak water.
Rinse thoroughly with cool (60-70°) water
and Drain thoroughly.
Set anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70° is optimal) between Rinses.
Rinse and Drain again in 8-12 hours.
And, once more...
Rinse and Drain again in 8-12 hours.
And, perhaps once more...
Rinse and Drain in 8-12 hours.
And, if you insist - once again...
Rinse and Drain in 8-12 hours.
We usually stop here. We prefer our sprouts small.
Depending on your climate and the time of year you are sprouting and most importantly your personal preference - You may Rinse and Drain again at 8-12 hour intervals for as long as you can keep the seeds/sprouts alive and growing.
However - we prefer to sprout only to the point where most of the seeds have sprouted tiny (1/4 inch) roots, which is typically after just 4-5 Rinse and Drain cycles. They'll last longer in the refrigerator and to us they just taste perfect at this stage - but hey - that's just us!
As always, we suggest that you taste your crop at EVERY RINSE - including the very first - just after the Soak period. The soaked seeds are already alive and though they may not be their most nutritious they are still very nutritious - they are already without enzyme inhibitors (a very good thing indeed!) so they'll digest themselves and nourish you.
Grow them for as long as you like (as long as you continue to Rinse and Drain every 8-12 hours) and find out for yourself when they are most delicious! If you keep sprouting for a week you'll get some plants growing as well as roots.
Experiment! Have Fun! It's All Good!
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. Be sure to Drain them as thoroughly as possible after that final rinse.
The goal during the final 8-12 hours is to minimize the surface moisture of your sprouts - they will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the touch.
Refrigerate
Transfer your sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice - glass is good too - and put them in your refrigerator - if you can keep from eating them all first.
* If using Single Harvest Pack use the whole bag.
Remember that the yield will be approximately 2:1, so in theory you can start with as much as 1/2 as much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity (though we advise 1/3 so that you have some room to move).
Printable Sprouting Instructions
