The most fundamental bean transformation is sprouting, or turning the bean and its embryo into the beginnings of a plant. Almost all organically grown beans, if not too old, can be sprouted, but do not sprout fava beans, for there may be some risk in eating these raw. Lentils and adzuki and mung beans are good choices, because small beans tend to sprout more readily than large ones. Small amounts of sprouts can be eaten rawΓÇöin a sandwich or sprinkled over a salad, for exampleΓÇöbut if you are using more than a large handful, heat them briefly to improve digestibility. You can add them toward the end of cooking to other vegetables, grains, and stir-fries.
To make 1 1/2 cups sprouts, start with 3 tablespoons dried beans. Seeds, such as alfalfa, wheat, and radish (but never tomato or potato), can be sprouted the same way, following these steps:
1. Pick over and rinse the beans. Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with about 2 inches warm (not hot) water. Let stand for up to 24 hours; then drain and rinse.
2. Place the beans in a sterile 1-quart glass jar. Cover the jar with a double layer of cheesecloth (or a finer-weave cloth if you are sprouting very small seeds, such as mustard) and secure with a rubber band.
3. Rinse the beans twice a day by filling the jar with cool water and draining it off through the cheesecloth. Be sure to drain well, as water left standing in the jar can cause mold.
4. Pale shoots should appear within 5 days (or a few days longer with some vegetable seeds). They are ready to harvest when about an inch long. Before harvesting, place the jar in the sun for a few hours to encourage the shoots to produce chlorophyll. Not all beans will sprout; discard those that do not. See Bean Sprouts for storage and nutrition information.
