Sprouted Mung Beans = Mung Bean Sprouts?

I am making an Indian recipe (bisi bela) that calls for spouted mung beans. I started sprouting some dried beans a few days ago; they have already have a little root popping out, and have softened up quite a bit, but are definitely more bean than sprout. Should I use these in the recipe, or purchase the fully sprouted 2-3" beans from the store?

Jennifer Ann
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5 Comments

Anitalectric March 28, 2011
Mung bean sprouts and sprouted mung beans are two totally different things.

Mung bean sprouts are easy to find and are the white, crunchy bean sprouts that you find in many Asian stir fries. They are long and skinny.

Sprouted mung beans are small, oval-shaped beans of a pretty green color that are showing a little bit of white around the middle and might even have some of the sprout sticking out.

They are both delicious!
 
Panfusine March 28, 2011
I think step 2 of this recipe would give you the sprouted mung beans.
http://www.food52.com/recipes/10595_sprouted_mung_bean_salad
 
susan G. March 27, 2011
What I see in cookbooks is that in Indian cooking the sprout is just what you describe, not the long-legged commercial ones.
 
Jennifer A. March 27, 2011
Thank you! I will cook them up tonight.
 
prettyPeas March 27, 2011
They should definitely be more bean than sprout--usually 1 day is good for sprouting--you don't want to see much sprout.
 
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