Sprouting Instructions
Yields approximately 1 Cup (1/2 lb.) of Sprouts
Note: Mung Beans are grown in China by farmers - often with little machinery. After harvest they are left to dry on gravel roads - so they are dusty. So: Prep before Soaking, by running water through Christmas Present until the exiting water runs clear. It doesn't take long - they aren't very dirty nowadays. Is that not cool?! The dust/dirt you just washed off of your seeds was part of a Chinese road!!!
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: Adzukis and Mungs tend to have more hard seed (seeds that do not soak up water and are as hard after soaking as before) than other seed types. After soaking it is a good idea (with any beans from any supplier) to make sure there are no hard seeds 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.
Adzukis and Mung 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. Seeds that do not take up water at all are called hard seeds.
Because these seeds are generally slower to take up water, we soak Christmas Present 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 (and the warmth can convince most hard seeds to go ahead and drink), but be careful not to go too hot - it can cook your seeds in which case they will never sprout. The water temperature is just what you start at - it cools as the Soak progresses - which is as it should be.
Empty the seeds into your sprouter if necessary.
Drain off the soak water.
Rinse thoroughly with cool (60-70°) water.
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.
We usually stop here. We like 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 up to 6 days. 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 3-4 Rinse and Drain cycles.
Note: Though Mung Beans are best known as long thick rooted sprouts, they are marvelous when barely sprouted and that is the intention in this mix.
Note: Not all of these seeds will sprout at the same time. They are close enough to mix together though, so we did. You Don't have to wait for all of them to actually pop a root (sprout) - it isn't necessary and it can cause some of your seeds to over-sprout, but it is your choice.
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 grow 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).
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