Sprouted Mung Beans

2 cups dry Mung Beans   Soak 8hrs  Sprout time: 3 days

Mung Beans are commonly used in Chinese cuisine and I was first introduced to them in the form of glass house noodles.  These clear noodles are made from mung bean starch and are very popular in Asian dishes.  When I was living abroad in Brisbane, Australia, my housemates were from Malaysia and they not only taught me how to cook, but they introduced me to new types of food I had never had before.  As a veg, I was little freaked out to find a whole eel in the freezer but cultural differences will always exist.  They were a great group of girls and I owe my love of mung beans to them.

Sprouting mung beans allows you to eat them raw and indulge in all of the wonderful enzymes they have to offer.  When sprouted, mung beans are considered a superfood bountiful with densely packed nutrients.  1 cup of sprouted mung beans contain:

31 calories
3 g protein
43% RDV Vitamin K
23% RDV Vitamin C
16% RDV Folate
10% RDV Manganese

While they are not a complete protein in of themselves, sprouted mung beans are a great addition to a vegan diet.  Plus, spouting is fun!  The Chinese would sprout mung beans during long sea voyages when obtaining fresh produce was not possible.  Even back in the day, these sailors knew how to eat their greens!

To Sprout:

2 cups dry mung beans (which you can buy in the bulk section of Whole Foods, Sprouts, Central Market)
Soak your dry mung beans for 8 hours away from direct sunlight.

It is very easy to soak them overnight for the 8 hours.  Then rinse your soaked mung beans and put back in a dark and cool place.  If left in the light, they will get mouldy.  An empty cupboard works well.  I transfer my soaked beans to a mason jar with a sprouting lid for easy rinsing.  If you don't have a sprouting lid you can use cheesecloth and a rubber band or a fine mesh strainer.  Rinse your mung beans two times daily with filtered water.  Don't let them sit in water, avoid this by placing your sprouting jar at an angle in a bowl, cup or on a dish rack.  If you only have counter space available, cover your beans with a cloth to keep them dark.  Do this for two days and on the third day you will have sprouts!

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Place sprouts in sunlight for about 15 mins to activate the chlorophyll.  Remember, cooking heat will kill the chlorophyll so I suggest consuming them raw.  Sprouts will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.