SPROUTING IN MY KITCHEN

Where to get beans, lentils, and spices:

Fine Food Stores- Across from Repco on Industrial Pl (off Gorge Rd)- have a wide variety of lentils and beans including mung beans, black beans, kidney beans, split yellow peas, black eyed peas, red lentils, etc. as well as an excellent collection of spices.

Spice King- 5 Mile- They have all of the above, as well as the black gram (kala chana), white/blue peas (vatana), and they will have some type of tamarind paste and/or dry mango powder, and a wide variety of spice mixes- get creative with your beans!

How to Sprout:

1. For each cup of beans/lentils, I put in at least double the water. This will get soaked right up within hours, especially in our dry weather here.

2. I put my lentils in a bowl and covered it with a plate. It's good to put them somewhere warm (like in the oven) overnight.

3. To avoid contamination, rinse in the morning, and then add just enough water to cover the lentils, and leave covered during the day.

4. Repeat for 2-4 days until you start seeing the sprouts. Allow them to grow between 5-10mm. Note: In summer, you may not need to top up the water as much as the humidity may provide enough moisture for them to sprout quicker and on their own!

5. If you are not cooking them straight away, or want to eat them raw, store in an aerated container or cover in a paper towel within a container so they don't go bad. Change the paper towel daily as needed.

There are different methods on the internet for sprouting, so use what suits you best!