Spruce up your sprouts for a healthy meal

A healthy lifestyle need not be boring and that's exactly what sprouts define. Power-packed with nutrition, they are little plump seeds that add flavour and crunch to ordinary meals. Toss it into salads, top up your burgers and sandwiches, serve it with meats, or have them straight up with a pinch of salt, sprouts are the perfect option for a quick meal.

So what are they? Sprouts are germinating seeds, which are in the process of transforming into a plant. If you try to recall your school days, you will remember biology projects where we were taught to place green peas in between layers of cotton soaked in water, only to discover little shoots growing from the seeds within a few days. It is said that the seeds are loaded with nutrients during the process of germination, and hence sprouts are always encouraged to be included in the diet.

Several grains can be used for sprouting. But the most common ones include pulses such as soybean, peas, moong dal, chickpeas, etc, as well as cereals and oilseeds. Microgreens are the older version of sprouts, which can be referred to as little leafy seedlings. While both are simple to grow at home, sprouts, in particular, are readily available in supermarkets. You will commonly find moong sprouts or horse gram sprouts on the shelves.

Bring home a pack and toss them into salads or make a quick meal. You can also add in some masalas, herbs, veggies, and even meat to treat yourself to a wholesome lunch.

If you are looking for some more interesting ways to toss up your sprouts at home, here are a few ideas:-

1. Bean Sprouts Salad

Bean sprouts, carrots, cucumbers, and spring onion doused with fresh garlic dressing, this salad is not only power-packed with nutrition but is a refreshing lunching option mid-work.

Ingredients of Bean Sprout Salad
200 Gram Bean sprouts
2  Carrots, shredded
2  Cucumber, sliced
2  Spring onion, shredded

For the dressing:
2 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp  Fish sauce
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tsp Garlic, chopped
2 green chillies, shredded

How to Make Bean Sprout Salad

1. Toss salad items together.
2. Whisk the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad.
3. Season well and serve

Also read | Surprising health benefits of olive oil

2. Sprouts Chaat

A healthy snack of sprouted lentils and beans with lemon juice and spices.

Ingredients of Sprout Chaat

1 cup Kala channa-sprouted
1 cup soya beans-boiled
1 cup moong daal-sprouted
1 cup rajma
1 cup paneer-diced
1/4 cup coriander leaves chopped
Green chillies-chopped to taste
1 cup onions-chopped fine
1.5 tsp salt
2 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp cumin seeds roasted and ground Lemon juice for taste

How to Make Sprout Chaat

1. Mix all the ingredients and serve.
2. You can also add a little curd or Sonth ki chutney if so desired.
3. You can vary the combinations according to your liking or choose only moong sprouts if you like.

3.  Smoked Chicken, Sprouts & Pearl Barley Salad

In this recipe, the ancient grain pearl barley gets spiked with whisky and pairs beautifully with the flavour of smoked chicken. The warm salad combined with the crunch of sprouts, cucumber and pomegranate make it a scrumptious treat.

Ingredients of Smoked Chicken, & Pearl Barley Salad
250 gm smoked chicken, cubed
1 cup pearl barley
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 cup sprouts
1/2 cup pomegranate
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

How to Make Smoked Chicken, Whisky & Pearl Barley Salad

1. Fill a saucepan with 2 cups water and bring it to a boil. Add the pearl barley and let it cook on a medium flame for 20 minutes until plump and chewy. Drain excess water and keep it aside.
2. Heat butter in a pan and add the chopped garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes on medium flame and then add the whisky and cooked pearl barley. Saute until the alcohol evaporates. Add salt as per taste and take off the flame.
3. In another pan lightly saute the smoked chicken cubes in a little oil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from flame.
4. In a large mixing bowl add the pearl barley mixture, smoked chicken and the remaining ingredients. Check to season and add more parsley if required. Serve immediately.

Enjoy healthy and tasty food at home !!