Sprouting in the raw kitchen

I'm a total sprout addict. I think I could easily live on the things. They are 'live food' taken to the ultimate. Every sprout is packed full out daft amounts of goodness and a well-grown sprout gives a refreshing crunch when eaten.

My only problem is getting enough sprout growing capacity. I use three sprouters to yield me regularly crops. My most-grown sprouts are lentils (puy, brown, green), broccoli, radish, alfalfa and quinoa.

To sprout well it's all about keeping he little blighters well rinsed, watered and aired. Do it wrong and you get a rotten smell or mould. Urgh. So don't be a lazy grower - do the work.

The first sprouter I use is three sprouting jars that live in a custom-made rack with a pottery tray beneath to catch the drips of water as the crops drain. This system is wonderful for easy rinsing, although if you overload the jars with seeds (more than a about a table-spoon and a half) there won't be enough room for the sprouts to breathe and they'll soon smell a bit off. In fact, they'll sometimes smell a bit off with this sprouter anyhow and I tend to use this system for sprouts that are ready for harvest in a couple of days rather than 5 or 6.

The next sprouter I use is a small, cheap multi-tray device that I got a while back from the Harvest wholefoods shop in Bristol. I think it was £7.50. Three trays offer good space for growing and easy watering. I regularly swap the trays around if growing a single crop (rather than one built-up tray-by-tray over several days) to make sure the sprouts get plenty of air and don't go off. This sprouter, with care, generally keeps the crop fresh as a daisy.

I also have a big Vogel sprouting mini greenhouse, which cost £17.99 from a healthfood shop in Glastonbury. This is a slightly fancier multi-level sprouter. You need to use fleece sheets for very small seeds like broccoli. One advantage is that you can't rinse the whole unit under the tap for easy watering, then just drain off via holes in the side - a boon if you're late for work and don't have much time for tending the crop.

For green sprouts it's best to get them near a window for the last day or growing to get the to 'green up' and fill with lovely chlorophyll, especially if they're looking a touch anaemic and yellow.

When they're gone I give them a final good rinse in a colander and they're ready to rock salads, get tossed into raw soups, get stuffed into nori rolls, or just used as snacks. They keep pretty well in the fridge for up to a week, but I tend to like them fresh, growing what I need as I need it.