How to Sprout Lentils (3 easy steps)
How to sprout lentils at home in 3 easy steps and liven up your meals. Sprouted lentils are really versatile and can be eaten raw, added to salads, soups, curries, wraps, vegan meatballs and more.
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Equipment
- Wide mouthed mason jar
- Piece of cheesecloth and rubber band or a sprouting lid
- Strainer or sieve.
- Bowl.
Ingredients
- 100 g (½ cup) Raw green lentils
- fresh cool water as needed
Instructions
- Soak. Give the lentils a good rinse to wake them up, add them to a bowl and top them with at least a couple of inches of fresh cold water. Leave to soak for 8-12 hours or overnight.100 g (½ cup) Raw green lentils, fresh cool water as needed
- Rinse and Drain. The next step is to rinse lentils thoroughly and then drain them with fresh cold water. For this, use a fine sieve held over the sink. It's quick and easy. Give them a shake to aerate them, pick out any grit, odd-looking bits, anything off-colour or that you’re unsure about, and discard. Rinse and drain the lentils every 8-12 hours each day (morning and evening work well).fresh cool water as needed
- Sprout. Return the lentils to the sieve, placing them over a bowl so any excess water will drain off. I like to spread the lentils out so that air can get around them. Alternatively, place them into you mason jar and attach the lid. Leave to one side out of direct sunlight to sprout, making sure to rinse and drain them ever 8-12 hours to keep them fresh. Your lentil sprouts will be ready in 2-3 days when they have germinated and the shoots are about a centremeter long or more. Give them a final rinse, drain and leave to roughly dry on a piece of paper towel before using.fresh cool water as needed
Notes
Tip:
If you're sprouting lentils with a strainer rather than a jar, lightly place a piece of paper towel over the top to help them to stay clean.Storing:
Give the sprouts a final rinse and drain them before storing in a lidded container in the fridge. Place a piece of kitchen paper in the container to draw up any excess water and help to keep the sprouted mung beans crunchy and fresh.Before using:
Check the sprouts before using and freshen them with a quick rinse and drain before adding them to your dishes. Can also be enjoyed as a snack.How to tell if sprouts have gone bad
If your sprouts spoil, toss them out and start again. Give your sprouts a sniff. Healthy sprouts will smell fresh. It's a good idea to watch over your sprouts as you go and learn how they look and smell during this process, so it becomes familiar to you.
If your sprouts smell funky, not fresh or they if appear slimy, or if you notice a white or off coloured fluffy bits amongst them please throw them out. They're probably spoiled.
See the Food Safety information at the bottom of the blog post for more details.
Tried this recipe?Please let me know in the comments below