Place the legumes in a strainer and rinse them thoroughly under running water. Then transfer them to a large bowl (the bowl should be large enough to accommodate the legumes’ growth in volume during soaking) and fill the bowl more than halfway with warm water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside at room temperature; let the legumes soak until they are tender, 4 to 6 hours or even overnight.

Drain the legumes and transfer them to a glass jar that is large enough to accommodate a six-fold increase in volume. Place a piece of cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar and secure it with the jar’s ring (for a Mason-type jar) or with a sturdy rubber band. Place the jar in a dark, humid spot (I keep mine in the cupboard under the kitchen sink). Two or three times a day (if you remember), rinse the legumes by filling the jar with water (pour it through the cheesecloth) and then draining it; return the legumes to their solitary confinement. Within 24 hours, you will notice tiny sprouts emerging from the grains. Two or 3 days of this rinse-drain-store cycle will yield sprouts that are about 2 inches long.

Thoroughly rinse the sprouted legumes, transfer them to a self-seal plastic bag, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.