Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds
Tiny seeds that, in about five days on your countertop, turn into a jar full of crisp, mild sprouts without any soil required.
What It Is
Alfalfa is a legume, and its sprouts are the pale green threads you see piled on deli sandwiches. The seeds themselves are small and round, almost like poppy seeds. Sprouts have been a fixture in American natural food cooking since the 1970s, and the appeal is simple: fresh greens you grow yourself, indoors, in any season.
The flavor is gentle and grassy, without the sharpness of radish or mustard sprouts. That mildness is exactly what makes them useful.
What To Do
Rinse two tablespoons of seeds, soak them in a jar of water overnight, then drain and rinse twice a day for four to five days. Keep the jar tilted at an angle so air circulates. They are done when the seeds have long tails and the tips are turning green.
Use them on sandwiches, tucked into wraps, or scattered over a bowl of soup at the last second. They do not hold up to heat, so add them after cooking. Store finished sprouts in the fridge and use within a few days.
