[JaK]

Does anybody spout seed for salads and stir fries? Would like to have a go at the mung beans but have also heard that sunflower seed is good for sprouting too, Is it? I like the idea because of the speed and tiny cost involved.
Any opinions on this welcome.

[JayG]

Yes, I've grown several types of beansprouts and I love 'em!

A couple of egg-cupfuls in an old 300g coffee jar, soak in water for an hour, drain off, put lid on loosely, put in dark airing cupboard (if you haven't got one then anywhere warm and dark; a kitchen wall-cupboard might do the trick.)

Rinse and drain off again every day; you should be crunching your way through them in about 3-5 days depending on the warmth. To keep them fresh a bit longer just chuck the jar in the fridge.

Mung beans are my favourite and are very cheap if you buy them from a health food shop/supermarket (not a garden centre!)

Edit: not tried sunflower seeds; could there be a problem separating out the husks?  

[JaK]

https://www.livingfood.co.uk/products-2-Organic_Seeds_and_Beans_For_Sprouting_Yourself.htm

This is the shop that sells sunflower seeds for sprouting. I may have to have a go and see what they are like. I wonder if I should ask them about seperating the husks?

Thank you for the advice JayG, I have bought some mung beans to try first.

[JayG]

Hard to say without having tried sunflowers; could be the husks go very soft and can be eaten - certainly would be a big pain trying to pick them out!

Those web prices are very steep compared with a health-food shop (I would expect to be paying about £1.50 for 500g but probably not organic; worth checking though if you've got a decent one near you - sometimes they do both types.)

[rozalia]

You must rinse regularly or they will go mouldy/mushy (speak from experience!). 

[Mazzie]

I did broccoli last year and it went down really nicely in a cheese sarnie   I love sprouting stuff, my nans a health nut and i remember jars of random seeds sprouting all over her kitchen when i was a kid.

[Rangerkris]

We started about a week ago, chick peas don't seem to float my boat but all the others have so far we have the T&M seed packs at the moment make sure you keep washing them through at least twice a day or they go mouldy. 
We got a posh plastic box that is also T&M that they call a sprouting box that cost a fiver and looks a bit better than jars on the windowsill.

[kari]

Sunflower seeds are yummy sprouted, the husks just drop off when the sprouts grow, or if they dont you can pull them off with your fingers, they make nice big, sweet, crunchy sprouts which the kids really love.

[JayG]

We got a posh plastic box that is also T&M that they call a sprouting box that cost a fiver and looks a bit better than jars on the windowsill.

Ex coffee jars look just fine shut in an airing cupboard or wall cupboard and are free! 

[NavyD]

Sunflower seeds are yummy sprouted, the husks just drop off when the sprouts grow, or if they dont you can pull them off with your fingers, they make nice big, sweet, crunchy sprouts which the kids really love.

Thank you Kari - I just read in "SAGA" magazine about eatind sunflower sprouts. I get lots of little shoots under where I feed birds. Query - what do they taste like and how big do you let them grow before cutting?
NavyD