Only very few people know the technique on how to sprout sunflower seeds. This is because most of them think that this is not possible. The seeds are crunchy and flavorful on their own and sprouting may not even come to your mind. But to give a new look to this regular snack, you can sprout them and make them as toppings to your other dishes.
The technique on how to sprout sunflower seeds is a fun. Everyone can enjoy this activity. Although this will take days to complete, this does not mean that you spend the whole time working on it. In fact, the work requires only a few minutes and the rest of the time is dedicated in soaking and waiting for the seeds to sprout.
- Begin the project by carefully choosing the seeds. Go for organic types. Do not use salted and processed seeds since these may not sprout or if they do, you will get poor quality sprouts. Since their size double, be sure to soak only the sprouts that you will need for one to two weeks.
- Place the sunflower seeds in a wide mouthed container and cover them fully with water. This set up should last for 10 hours. The first phase on how to sprout sunflower seeds will soften the seeds.
- After the 10 hours or after overnight, drain the water and rinse them well. Return the seeds in the container and soak them for another 4 to 6 hours. Keep the container in a dark and cool place to facilitate sprouting. The seeds have a thin skin that clears off during the first soaking. Make sure to skim all the skin. Otherwise, they can hasten the spoilage of the seeds and the sprouts will rot.
- Repeat the whole process until you see the stems come out. Usually, it will only take 2 days to complete the project.
Tips on How to Sprout Sunflower Seeds
- Temperature is very crucial when working on sunflower seeds. The sprouting in itself doubles the temperature and thus, you have to do the washing and rinsing more often on a hot weather.
- Refrigerate the sprouted sunflower seeds right after soaking. Otherwise, they can easily spoil if you keep them too long in room temperature.
- The color of the sprouts changes because of oxidation. They turn brown after a few days. If you want the color to be the same, you have to consume them within 6 hours.
The more you work on the project; the more you will learn techniques on how to sprout sunflower seeds. This also means experiencing the health benefits of the vegetable. Since they are high in vitamins A, B, C and E, you get all the nutrients you need in every serving of sprouted sunflower.