Sprouting Chickpeas

[Forest]

Anyone have any good information on sprouting chickpeas?

I've looked online and got some different advice. I'm assuming that you just soak for awhile, put in a sprouter and then rinse from time to time. If anyone knows any other instructions please let me know.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that you should not eat raw chickpea sprouts - that they should be cooked first. (but I can't remember/find where I saw that). Anyone know if it's true?

Finally, if anyone has any good recipes that called for chickpea sprouts, I'd love to see them.

Thanks!

[K8memphis]

I've never sprouted garbanzos/chickpeas but here's a great link.

[lperry]

I've sprouted them just like you described - let them go just until they send out the first root. Except for soybeans that can mold very easily, I think that everything can be sprouted with a soak and rinse regimen. Lentils are good too.

I'm afraid I lack recipe ideas. I just throw them in green, potato, and pasta salads. I've never cooked them, although now I'm wondering if I should.

-L

[cacao]

In my copy of Paula Wolferts' marevelous Mediterranean Grains and GReens (think that's the proper title), there is a recipe I've been meaning to test my bread making mettle on - it's a Greek bread, I believe?, that uses a fermented chickpea batter as the 'starter'. It sounds really tasty - and tricky - but certainly a novel use (in my mind) of spouted chickpeas!

Cacao

[Forest]

Thanks for the info & suggestions, everyone!

lperry - I'm thinking I would prefer them raw, too. I was thinking they would be a nice big sprout that could add some good crunch to a salad. I did some more looking online and the only things I can come up with re: the health concerns of uncooked sprouts is a few references to the FDA suggesting sprouts as a source of EColi and a few references to "toxins" in uncooked sprouts. However, none of the toxin references seemed to come from really reliable sites. So, I'm just going to give it a go and make sure I wash them well and rinse them often before eating

cacao: let me know how the bread turns out. I remember quite some time ago, my dad telling me he had been making bread from his fresh sprouts and it was really tasty. I'm not much of a bread maker, so I didn't note the recipe at the time. But, I do like sprouts, so it might be worth a try, if it's good!

[beccaboo]

Thanks for the info & suggestions, everyone!

lHowever, none of the toxin references seemed to come from really reliable sites. 

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I've made various sprouted legumes and not gotten sick. I think the only one that really has to be cooked is kidney beans--I've read about their toxins a number of times, and think it's probably true.

[Forest]

thanks for the info beccaboo! I was doing searches specifically on garbanzo/chick peas and toxins, so I was probably getting more limited results. I'll stay away from the raw kidney bean sprouts!