Borlotti beans- they are sprouting! Advice needed please
August 23, 2010 - 9:46am
I got some borlotti beans in their pods in my organic order last Thursday. I should have taken them out of their pods and put them in a dry glass jar. I didn't realise that they would start sprouting in their pods! I had planned to cook them in a soup. I haven't sprouted any beans before, so want to ask- can borlotti bean sprouts be eaten? Should I put them in jars to continue sprouting or give them to my friend to plant in her allotment? (I haven't anywhere to grow bean plants). I've only had beans in tins before and so don't know what to do with them- I don't want to waste these beautiful beans.
August 23, 2010 - 5:59pm
#1
There's no reason you can't use them sprouted! They'll just have more a little more protein, which is usually not a bad thing. The only danger of leaving them to sprout more is that they could get moldy. They could also get bitter if they sprout too long.
Of course, any raw legume, especially when sprouted, has enzyme inhibitors that interfere with digestion. To keep them raw and make them more digestible, the beans can be pickled or fermented.
Cooking also destroys these enzyme inhibitors.
August 23, 2010 - 7:28pm
#2
I would see if you can find some reference to this specific bean bearing an edible sprout on google before eating it; I also wouldn't take a chance by eating these raw when they could be one of those beans that is toxic unless cooked.
August 24, 2010 - 2:57pm
#3
Thanks for the replies- a friend told me they can be eaten sprouted but they went a bit mouldy overnight, and he said it is too cold to plant them now, so they will have to be composted. Poor beans.I won't leave beans in their pods again. :(
