Sprouts: Seven Healthy and Delicious Dishes

You might be one of those people who think sprouts are tasteless and unenjoyable foods. We tend to associate healthy foods with bland flavors without realizing that there are a number of ways we can make creative and delicious dishes using healthy ingredients.

Germinated lentil, nut and grain seeds are referred to as sprouts. During the process of germination, the seeds are overflowing with micronutrients and are advocated as healthy foods due to the high levels of fiber content.

Sprouts can add oomph and crunch to regular meals, making for quick and healthy snacks. The following are seven scrumptious sprouts recipes that you need to try immediately:

Sprouts Salad

Ingredients:

• Half a cup of kidney bean sprouts
• Three-fourth full cup ofbean sprouts
• One small chopped tomato
• One small chopped onion
• Two teaspoons of lemon juice
• Salt- as required

Method:

• Chop the tomato and onion finely
• Mix with bean sprouts before adding lemon juice and salt
• Mix well and consume before it gets soggy

Sprouts and Mashed Rice

Ingredients:

• Half a cup of mixed sprouts
• Half a cup of rice – soaked and drained
• Half a tablespoon of clarified butter
• Half a teaspoon of cumin seeds
• A dash of asafetida
• One teaspoon of garlic paste
• One small chopped onion
• Salt as per requirement

Method:

• Using a pressure pan, heat the clarified butter
• Add the cumin seeds and roast. Stir after adding the onions
• Mix in the rice, sprouts, and salt, stirring for several more seconds
• Add three cups of water, mix till satisfied and pressure cook
• Before serving, mash the contents.

Sprouts and Vegetables

 Ingredients:

• One-fourth a cup of mixed sprouts
• One small, chopped onion
• One small, chopped tomato
• One teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste
• One chopped green chili
• One-fourth a teaspoon of red chili powder
• One-fourth a teaspoon of a mix of turmeric, cumin powder, and dry mango powder
• Half a teaspoon of coriander and garam masalapowder
• One teaspoon of oil
• Two to three curry leaves
• Salt as per requirement
• Water for cooking
• Chopped coriander leaves

Open Sprouts Toast

No recipe list can be complete without a sandwich recipe. The following is an easy-to-make recipe that can be consumed as a breakfast dish or an evening snack.

Ingredients:

For the topping:

• Half a cup of mixed sprouts
• One teaspoon chili powder
• Half teaspoon chaat masala
• One and a half teaspoon of cumin powder
• Two spoons of lemon juice
• Salt

Sandwich Ingredients:

• Bread slices – whole-wheat
• Two spoons of butter
• Shredded lettuce
• One-fourth of a grated carrot

Method:

• Add all the ingredients for the topping in a bowl and mix and toss well
• Make sure to cut the corners of the bread slices used
• By applying butter to one side of the slice, toast till it is crisp
• After placing a piece of lettuce on the toast, add the toppings
• Finally, garnish the sandwich with the carrot

Sprouts and Chilli

Ingredients:

• Two cups of sprouts
• Two green chilies
• One inch of ginger
• Two tablespoons besan
• Oil for cooking
• One grated carrot
• Half a cup of coriander leaves

Method:

• Blend the sprouts with green chilies and ginger.
• Using very little water, ensure to make it into a thick pancake consistency
• Mix in the besanand salt.
• Add coriander and other greens of your choosing and the grated carrot
• Heat a pan and pour a spoonful of batter. Using circular motions, spread the batter
• Using oil sparingly, make the contents crispy
• Once one side is cooked to a crisp, flip over to the other side
• Serve with tamarind or date chutney

Chile-and-Olive-Oil-Fried Egg with Avocado and Sprout

Ingredients:

• One cup of sprouts (radish, sunflower or alfalfa)
• One teaspoon of fresh lime juice
• Freshly grounded pepper and kosher salt
• Two tablespoons of olive oil
• Two large eggs
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Two sprouted grain tortillas or flatbreads
• Hot sauce (for serving)
• One ounce of feta
• Avocado slices and lime wedges (for serving)

Recipe Preparation:

• Add the sprouts and lime juice in a small bowl and toss
• Season with salt and pepper
• Using a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high
• When the oil is hot, crack both eggs into the skillet and use salt and pepper as seasoning – make sure that the oil is bubbling around the eggs from the beginning
• Rotate the skillet occasionally until the whites are golden brown and crisp at the edges and set around the yolk (which should be runny) for two minutes
• Add red pepper flakes to the oil and remove the pan from heat
• Heat the tortillas over a gas burner until mildly warm and somewhat charred in places – you can also use a toaster oven for this step
• Place the sprouts on tortillas and cover with fried eggs
• Spoon Chile oil from skillet around and drizzle with hot sauce
• Crumble feta over.
• Serve with avocado slices, lime pieces, and additional hot sauce.

Chicken Khao Soi

Ingredients:

• Khao Soi Paste
• Four large dried, stemmed, halved and seeded New Mexico or guajillo chilies
• 2 medium shallots, halved
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 2" piece ginger, peeled, sliced
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro stems
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon curry powder

Soup

• Two tablespoons of vegetable oil
• Two fourteen-ounce cans of unsweetened coconut milk
• Two cups of low-sodium chicken soup
• One and a half pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, halved lengthwise
• One pound of Chinese egg noodles
• Three tablespoons of fish sauce
• One tablespoon of packed palm sugar or light brown sugar
• Kosher salt
• Red onion cut in slices, cilantro sprigs, bean sprouts, crispy fried onions or shallots
• Chilli oil
• Lime wedges (for serving)

Recipe Preparation:

Khao Soi Paste

• Place the chilies in a small heatproof bowl and add boiling water. Let them soak until softened, typically twenty-five minutes to half an hour
• Drain the chilies, reserving the soaking liquid. Purée chilies, shallots, cilantro stems, ginger, garlic, coriander, curry powder, turmeric, and add two tablespoons soaking liquid in a food processor. Add more soaking liquid by tablespoonfuls, as per requirement, until smooth

Soup

• Use a large, heavy pot to heat the oil over medium heat.
• Add khao soi paste; constantly stir while cooking until slightly darkened, ideally four to six minutes
• Add broth and coconut milk, bringing the mixture to boil
• Add the chicken. Reduce heat and seethe until chicken is fork-tender, typically twenty minutes
• After transferring the chicken to a plate, let it cool slightly
• Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package
• Add chicken, three tablespoons of fish sauce, and sugar to the soup. Use the fish sauce and salt to season further, if required
• Divide noodles and soup among bowls and serve with toppings

These recipes become even easier to make after the first time. They are tasty, full of flavor, and healthy. You will find it easy to maintain your figure and feel rejuvenated after snacking on these instead of snacking on junk food.