Chinese beans. Sprouted seeds are sprouts full of vitality. Due to their exceptional amount of nutrients they are highly valued in a healthy diet . With disposition, they can be achieved at home with quality and hygiene . A little sprouts in any dish , gives the table an exotic touch, with a high culinary flavor and a healthy taste for the whole family .
Summary
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- 1 A little history
- 2 Preparing the sprouts
- 3 Procedure
- 4 Another method
- 5 Sources
A little history
The feeding with fresh products, and among them the sprouts or sprouts , are necessary to enjoy good health . Sprouted seeds are the most alive food that exists, as they are still growing until the moment we start chewing them. The shoots have extraordinary nutritional principles since the entire potential plant is found in them.
The use of seeds germinated or outbreaks in food and medicine is much older than the Great Wall of China . In ancient times they were present in the foods of many cultures . There are historical data of its consumption by the Sumerians five millennia before Christ ; an emperor of China (3000 BC) wrote about medicinal herbs and sprouted beans , and their use for multiple ailments.
Germination techniques were described in writings of the Essenes, contemporaries of Christ, in Israel and Egypt , who made bread with sprouted wheat. The Roman armies consumed wheat sprouts in the field due to the ease of transporting and preparing the seeds.
The outbreaks played a significant role for western seafarers in the fight against scurvy, as vitamin C deficiency manifested itself during the long voyages of the 18th century . The legendary Captain Cook is famous for having been the first to use them as food for his crew, which saved many lives.
During World War II in the United States a campaign was launched to teach how to prepare sprouts as a strategic food reserve in times of war. However, from 1948 this program was forgotten until the 1970s, when it resurfaced accompanied by concepts of healthy eating, physical culture and aerobics .
The main advantage of sprouts is their vitality. Unlike the rest of the food, which begins to deteriorate when harvested, the seed is alive. Its germinative power, under suitable conditions, is conserved for millennia as was proven by sprouting seeds found in the pyramids.
Sprouts are one of the best foods that nature has given us. They contain essential elements for the development of the plant such as chlorophyll , vitamins , minerals , trace elements , enzymes and other vital substances. They also have calcium , iron , magnesium , copper , zinc , iodine and potassium , along with the essential amino acids that our body needs in the formation of the proteins necessary to restoretissues .
Many scientists have published their discoveries about the value of sprouts as food. There is an abundance of literature available today so as not to doubt the necessary introduction of sprouts in our daily lives.
Most of the grains and seeds of certain greens and vegetables are susceptible to undergo the germination process. Red , black , white , chickpeas , lentils , beans , pigeon peas , sesame , horseman , alfalfa , carob , corn , wheat and sunflower seeds are usually used , as long as they have not been subjected to chemical treatments ( fertilizersartificial) or their viability date has expired. The well-known Chinese bean used in fried rice is nothing more than a bean sprout called Mungo, which is a small green seed and can be bought to germinate at home.
Preparing the sprouts
You will need to have a wide-mouth glass jar , gauze to cover the mouth of the jar, a garter or string to tie the gauze, and, of course, viable beans or seeds. Jute trays or bags can also be used.
There are sprouts on the market to facilitate the procedure at home. In most cases they have a tray holder with several of them that alternate in position according to the growth of the seeds.
Process
The procedure for obtaining sprouts: (According to Madelaine Vázquez Gálvez).
- Wash and select the beans. The amount should be in proportion to the size of the jar and the seed. Usually 3 to 5 tablespoons are used.
- Place them in a wide-mouth glass jar, which is very clean.
- Cover with water at room temperature.
- Soak until the seeds are hydrated. This time varies from 4 to 12 hours depending on the type of grain used. Usually 8 hours are used.
- Cover the knob with the gauze and adjust the garter or twine to the mouth of the knob.
- Place the covered knob in a rather dark and ventilated place.
- After the beans are hydrated, remove the water, rinse them and leave them inside the knob, drained and without water.
Repeat this operation of rinsing the grains and draining them, two or three times a day, until the fifth day, time in which the germinations will have developed almost six times their initial size. Bean growth depends on variety. Thus, for example, black beans grow up to 6 cm . And lentils up to 2 cm . Many people who start this practice do not throw the rinse water away and keep them flooded, which can cause the experience to fail. The most important thing is to keep the germinations moist and drained.
Once the seedlings are appropriately sized, the shoots will be ready for consumption. They can be exposed to sunlight for 2 hours to activate chlorophyll , which gives the new plant its characteristic green color.
Before consuming, they should be washed well.
Another method
Put a thick cloth on a tray, wet it and place the beans on top, taking care to keep it moist.
If they want to be preserved, they can be put in the refrigerator , which stops their growth, and stored for several days without affecting their taste and properties.
Discard non-germinating seeds after the procedure. They can be eaten raw, lightly sauteed, in stews, soups, sauces, rice and medicinal drinks, or added to special rice, very similar to what we do with the well-known Chinese beans, with which the same manufacturing technique is used. It is convenient, when buying made sprouts, subject them to a disinfection process since they can contain harmful germs due to manipulation or prolonged exposure to the environment.
It is important to note that when subjected to a few minutes of cooking, they preserve their nutritional value almost intact. In addition, they manage to multiply the volume of food available if it is taken into account that from one cup of beans up to six cups of sprouts can be obtained. Practice will promote the ability to make sprouts at home. The advantages are so many, due to its nutrients and its varied use, that they will become indispensable at the family table
