Growing Mung Beans on a Paper Towel

Paper Towel Sprouting

• The paper towel method is perhaps the easiest way to sprout mung beans for home use. Although you can sprout beans in many ways, this method uses the least materials. Begin by sprinkling mung bean seeds thinly along the surface of a moistened paper towel. Dampen a second paper towel and press it flat over the seeds, sealing the edges. Soaking the beans overnight in water can aid in the sprouting process. Hold the paper towel up to a light source to check the beans for sprouting. Keep paper towels moist, but not dripping wet, to avoid problems with mold. This method should produce mung bean sprouts for consumption in approximately four days.

Wide Mouth Jar Method

• Although you can sprout mung beans in paper towels, the wide mouth jar method also produces satisfactory sprouts with a minimum of effort. Select a jar at least one quart or larger in volume, with a lid. Punch eight to 10 holes in the lid, and wash mung bean sprouts thoroughly. Use one-third of a cup of mung beans for every one quart jar. Place the beans in the jar and add enough water to cover them. Attach the lid and place the jar in a dark place, allowing it to sit overnight. Drain the water from the jar the next day, and place it on its side. Rinse the beans with water daily until sprouts have reached 1 inch in length, draining excess water each time.

Sprouting Considerations

• Check sprouting mung beans for moisture at least twice a day, and sprinkle them with water when they begin to dry out. Always use lukewarm or room temperature water for bean sprouting, and keep beans between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit for best sprouting. Although mung beans will sprout when exposed to light, color and flavor will suffer; dark areas produce the best quality sprouts. Sprouts are best used when they reach 1 to 4 inches in length. Mung beans that grow past 4 inches develop bitter, unpalatable flavors.

Culinary Uses

• Mung bean sprouts can be consumed raw or cooked, in a variety of dishes. They are best eaten no more than four days after sprouting, though they can be canned or frozen as well. Although their use has traditionally been limited to Chinese dishes in the United States, mung beans are increasingly used in soups, salads, stews and a variety of dishes from other culinary traditions. High in protein, calcium, phosphorous and other vitamins, mung bean sprouts have a nutrient profile similar to mushrooms and asparagus.