Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Chia seeds have been known to harbor salmonella, and considering their high fat content, high carbohydrate content, and their physical/chemical reaction to being soaked in water, they are an ideal growing medium for any number of hazards. The USDA does not have a published opinion on the topic.
Three main methods of cleaning dry seed: Blow on it with a fan to remove chaff, dust and some leaf bits. Sieve it to remove both the stuff that's too course or too fine.
Warm water helps & triggers the surface of chia seeds to open-up absorbing water faster. 35C - 45C is the average permissible temperature to soak chia seeds. It has also been observed that ceramic vessels or glasswares have good insulation property they maintain the temperature, thus giving chia seeds a favourable environment.
As @rackandboneman pointed out, chia (Salvia hispanica) belongs to the family Lamiaceae (common name: mint) and belongs to the genus Salvia (common name: sage). Edit 2: Sprouts are probably edible. The link directs to an online shop which sells chia seeds with growing instructions.
This is a time-lapse video of chia seeds swelling as they soak in water. But always better safe than sorry: If you don't feel comfortable eating what you've made because you don't think it reacted properly, discard it and try again with a different batch. The more you experiment with chia seeds, the more you'll know what behavior to expect from ...
Regardless of where I procure my chia seeds, I always find, mixed with them, some quantity of smaller and darker seeds which don't seem to be chia. These seeds are black (noticeably darker than the dark-gray chia seeds) and lentil-shaped, about 1mm in diameter.
I've NEVER had chia with any bitter chemical taste before, and now I must discard a big bag of it bought at a Smart & Final' Superstore's bulk section, on sale at a good price, but sold at 1/2 the normal price because being so substandard in truth.
Chia seeds can be used without soaking, but they absorb a LOT of liquid and create a gel. If this isn't accounted for in your recipe, they could cause the finished product to have an odd texture. At the very least, I'd add extra liquid to your batter and let it sit for a few minutes to check it's consistency before you use it.
My survey of sites shows that most recommend making Chia Gel with a 1:9 ratio of seeds to liquid (usually water). The instructions at Health Central are fairly typical: Put water in a sealable plastic container and slowly pour seed into water while briskly mixing with a wire whisk. This process will avoid any clumping of the seed.
Can I put chia seeds in a pot pie filling to help thicken it? If so, how would I do it? (i.e., how much chia seeds, how much cornstarch, do I need to pre-soak, etc.) Edit: It was this recipe, and it was IMO quite runny with 2tbsp of corn starch.