Rinse the beans thoroughly with cold water and soak them overnight (10-12) hours in warm water. During the soaking process the beans almost will double in size
Drain out the water using a colander and then place the beans on a cheesecloth
Wrap the beans in a cheese cloth and store covered in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. I usually keep them in my oven and in winters keep the oven lights on for some warmth
In the summers beans will start to sprout in 12 hours and this is how they will look in the initial few hours
The longer you keep they will continue to grow. Usually, within 24 hours they grow a good ¼ to ½ inch long tail. In winters they may take up to 48 hours for the beans to sprout
Once sprouted beans can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks in air tight container or zip lock bags. Raw sprouted mung beans are great for snacking or to add to salads
Video
Notes
Tips
Make sure that the beans are not too old
Soak the beans in warm filtered water. Sometimes hard water prevents the beans from soaking properly and then they are harder to sprout
Cover the beans while soaking so the water stays warm for longer period
After the beans are soaked, make sure to drain out the water in a colander. Especially with Moth beans its important that the beans are not too wet when you tie them in the cheesecloth as they tend to get sticky with excess moisture
If you do not have a cheesecloth, any thin cotton cloth will work, or wrap them in double-lined paper towels
The cheesecloth can get brownish stains from the beans, so make sure to bleach the cloth after to keep it clean
Place the beans wrapped in the cheesecloth in a cool dry place. Excess humidity can cause the beans to get sticky. If you choose to use Instant Pot for sprouting, there is no need to put any water in the main pot. See my notes below
How to sprout beans using Instant PotYou can also use the Instant Pot for sprouting. The Yogurt mode in the Instant Pot has the perfect temperature setting to help the beans sprout.Tips for sprouting beans in an Instant Pot
Place the beans in a colander or strainer to help drain out any excess moisture. You can also place the colander on the trivet inside the main pot, which allows any excess moisture to dry out and prevent the beans from getting sticky.
Since the Instant Pot does not come to pressure on the yogurt mode, you do not need to worry about the pressure valve being at sealing or venting.
Do not put any water in the main insert, which prevents the beans from getting sticky and sprout better.