Steaming Sprouted Grains: A Healthy, Easy Cooking Method

Sprouted grains are a great way to add variety to your meals, and they come with a host of nutritional benefits. They are easy to make and can be used in a variety of dishes, from salads to sandwiches, stir-fries, and more. The process of sprouting grains involves first soaking them in water and then rinsing, draining, and keeping them moist for one to five days. This helps to deactivate the phytic acid in the grains and makes them easier to blend or cook.

When it comes to cooking sprouted grains, steaming is an excellent option. Steaming helps to retain the nutrients in sprouts without much loss and also ensures that the sprouts are cooked evenly without becoming mushy. Here are some tips for steaming sprouted grains:

- Use a steamer, pressure cooker, microwave, or stainless steel steam basket to steam the sprouts.

- Place the sprouts in a flat-bottomed bowl or container and add a small amount of water.

- Steam for 5-7 minutes without bringing the water to a boil.

- Add steamed sprouts to salads, sandwiches, or any other dish of your choice.

Sprouted grains are best steamed or cooked before eating

Steaming Sprouted Grains

Steaming helps to retain the nutrients in sprouts without much loss. You can use a steamer, a pressure cooker, or a microwave. Here are the steps to steam sprouts using a pressure cooker:

• Place the sprouts in a stainless steam basket. If you don't have one, you can use any flat-bottomed bowl or an idly plate.
• Pour a cup of water into the cooker base and place the cooker rack/steaming grid at the bottom.
• Put the sprouts colander over it and close the lid.
• Steam for 5 to 7 minutes without the whistle.
• The sprouts are now cooked and can be used in any recipe of your choice.

Cooking Sprouted Grains

Sprouted grains can be cooked in various ways and added to different dishes. Here are some ideas:

• Add them to a salad: Throw a handful of sprouted grains like quinoa or wheat berries into your favourite salad.
• Make a grain salad: Toss sprouted grains with chopped nuts, roasted veggies, and vinaigrette for a hearty grain salad.
• Use them in a stir-fry: Instead of serving pan-cooked veggies over rice, fold cooked sprouted rice or quinoa into your stir-fry during the final minutes of cooking.
• Use in place of breadcrumbs: Crush packaged sprouted-grain crackers or cereal and use them as a crunchy coating for chicken, tofu, fish, or veggies.
• Make a porridge: Simmer sprouted buckwheat, quinoa, or millet in your milk of choice until the grains are tender. Top with chopped fruit or nuts and sweeten with maple syrup or honey.
• Bake: Swap nutty sprouted wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio for all-purpose or whole wheat flour in any baked good recipe. You can also fold cooked sprouted grains into a batter like you would nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips for added texture and fibre.

Preparing Sprouted Grains for Cooking

Before cooking sprouted grains, they need to be soaked, sprouted, and dehydrated. Here are the steps:

• Soak the grains: Place the grains in a bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for 12 to 24 hours.
• Rinse and drain: After soaking, rinse and drain the grains in a strainer or colander.
• Sprout the grains: Place the rinsed and drained grains in a jar and cover the jar with a sprouting lid/screen or a double layer of cheesecloth secured with a rubber band. Keep the jar in a cool, dark place and rinse and drain the grains twice a day for 2 to 3 days, or until you see little sprouts forming.
• Dehydrate the grains: Spread the sprouted grains on dehydrator trays and dehydrate at a low temperature (below 200 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 8 hours or until they are fully dried. Alternatively, you can use an oven set to the lowest temperature and leave the door cracked.
• Grind the grains (optional): Once the sprouted grains are dehydrated, you can grind them into flour using a grain mill or high-powered blender.

Sprouted grains can be steamed in a steamer, pressure cooker, microwave, or idly cooker

Sprouted grains can be steamed in a variety of ways, and you can use common kitchen equipment to do so. Here are some options:

Steamer

To cook sprouted grains in a steamer, follow these steps:

• Fill the bottom tier of the steamer with water, ensuring it reaches about 50-70% capacity.
• Bring the water to a boil before placing the sprouted grains in the steamer.
• Maintain medium-high heat to generate sufficient steam for cooking.
• Place the sprouted grains in a suitable container inside the steamer. You can use a plate or wax paper, depending on the type of food being steamed.
• Keep the lid on during cooking, but wrap it with a cloth to catch any dripping water and prevent it from slowing down the cooking process.
• Check the water level periodically and add more hot water if needed, especially for longer cooking times.
• Open the lid away from you when checking on the food to avoid getting burned by the steam.
• Cook the sprouted grains until they are done to your desired level of doneness.

Pressure Cooker

Using a pressure cooker, such as an Instant Pot, is another option for steaming sprouted grains. Here are the general steps:

• Prepare the sprouted grains by soaking and rinsing them beforehand, following the basic sprouting process.
• Grease the pressure cooker's molds or containers with ghee or oil to prevent sticking.
• Add water to the pressure cooker and heat it until it boils.
• Place a small amount of sprouted grains batter into each mold.
• Close the lid and set the cooker to steam mode, ensuring it is in the venting position.
• Use a separate timer as the time function may not work in the venting position.
• Steam the sprouted grains for the desired duration, which may vary depending on the recipe and your preferences.
• Once the cooking time has elapsed, press "Cancel" and wait for the pressure to release before opening the cooker.

Microwave

If you prefer to use a microwave, here are the steps to steam sprouted grains:

• Place the sprouted grains in a microwave-safe bowl.
• Add just enough water to rinse the grains; no additional water is needed.
• Cover the bowl with microwave-safe plastic wrap, leaving one corner open to allow steam to escape.
• Microwave the sprouted grains for the appropriate duration, which will depend on the type and amount of grains you are cooking.
• Be cautious when removing the bowl from the microwave, as it will be hot.
• Allow the grains to cool slightly before serving or consuming.

Idly Cooker

Lastly, you can use an Idly cooker, which is commonly used for making steamed Idli, a South Indian savory rice cake. Here are the general steps:

• Prepare the Idli batter by soaking and sprouting the grains, following the basic sprouting process.
• Grease the Idli molds with ghee or oil.
• Add a small amount of batter to each mold.
• Place the Idli stand in the cooker and add water to the bottom, ensuring it boils before placing the stand.
• Cook the Idli in steam mode with the venting position, using a separate timer if needed.
• The Idli will be ready in about 12 minutes.
• Press "Cancel" and wait for the pressure to release before opening the cooker.
• Serve the Idli with sambar and chutney, or use the batter to make crispy dosa by thinning it out.

Sprouted grains can be used in salads, sandwiches, stir-fries, and more

Sprouted grains are a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, including salads, sandwiches, and stir-fries. Here are some ideas on how to incorporate them into your meals:

Salads

Sprouted grains can add texture and a nutritional boost to your salads. Simply toss them with your favourite vegetables, herbs, and nuts. For a simple sprouted grain salad, combine them with carrots, cucumber, onions, tomatoes, and roasted peanuts. You can also add fruits like pomegranate arils and chopped apples for extra sweetness and nutrition. Don't forget to season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice!

Sandwiches

Sprouted grains are a great addition to sandwiches, wraps, and chaats. Try sprouted moong beans in your sandwich for a crunchy and nutritious bite. You can also experiment with different types of sprouts, such as chickpea sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, or lentil sprouts.

Stir-Fries

Stir-fries are a fantastic way to incorporate sprouted grains into your meals. Instead of serving pan-cooked vegetables over rice, try folding cooked sprouted rice or quinoa into your stir-fry. You can also add other types of sprouted grains like buckwheat or millet for a heartier dish.

Other Dishes

Sprouted grains can also be used in a variety of other dishes. Use them as a crunchy coating for chicken, tofu, or vegetables. Make a hearty porridge by simmering sprouted grains like buckwheat, quinoa, or millet in your choice of milk. You can even get creative and bake with sprouted grains, using sprouted wheat flour for cookies, pancakes, or pizza dough!

Sprouted grains are high in protein, fibre, and minerals like iron and zinc

Sprouted grains are a great way to boost your protein, fibre, and mineral intake. The process of sprouting increases the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals such as zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and B vitamins. Sprouting also breaks down antinutrients like phytic acid, lectins, and trypsin inhibitors, which can inhibit the absorption of nutrients.

Sprouted grains are also easier to digest as the process of sprouting activates enzymes that break down starches and proteins into simpler forms. This can be especially beneficial for those with gluten intolerance as sprouting reduces gluten in wheat.

In addition to their nutritional benefits, sprouted grains also taste better. The process of sprouting breaks down starches into simpler sugars, making sprouted grains slightly sweeter. It also tempers the bitterness of tannins and other antinutrients, resulting in a more complex flavour profile.

Overall, sprouted grains offer a range of health benefits and can be a delicious and nutritious addition to your diet.

Sprouted grains are easier to digest than ungerminated grains

Sprouted grains have many health benefits. The germinating process breaks down some of the starch, which makes the percentage of nutrients higher. It also breaks down phytate, a form of phytic acid that normally decreases the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body. So, sprouted grains have more available nutrients than mature grains. These nutrients include folate, iron, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, and protein. Sprouted grains also may have less starch and be easier to digest than regular grains.

The sprouting process offers several nutrition benefits compared to bread made from unsprouted grains or grain flours. Sprouting changes the nutritional profile of the grains, making their nutrients more readily available and possibly easier to digest. Sprouted grains are higher in important nutrients and lower in antinutrients. Antinutrients are substances that block the absorption of nutrients. Sprouting increases nutrients such as amino acids, protein, fiber, B vitamins, and vitamin C. It also decreases antinutrients, making the nutrients in the grains more readily available to your body.

The process of sprouting grains is simple and can be done at home. The grains are first soaked in water to increase the moisture content and deactivate the phytic acid. Although they are not fully sprouted at this stage, these soaked grains can be blended into plant-based milks or cooked with less water and time than it would take to cook unsoaked grains. To make them actually sprout, the soaked grains are then rinsed, drained, and kept moist inside a jar for a period of 1 to 5 days. Sprouted grains are often eaten raw, lightly cooked, or ground into flour. They can also be dried in a dehydrator, low-temperature oven, or in the sun.

Frequently asked questions