Sunflower seeds - Id like to eat them!

[Madame Mucksprout]

Hi,

I can see my lovely big sunflower head getting ready to be pickable - but has anyone figured out a way to take the shells off?

There is no way I can de-hull them all one by one.

Any ideas?

Thanks for your time

[Nicos]

I've bought salted sunflowers here.
Bit like pistatio nuts- boiled in salty water.
Then you bite into the husk ( when cold) flick it around in your mouth- and spit out the husk.
I first saw them like that in Israel- but here they're in the arab food section at the hypermarket.

[Strawberry delight]

Yeah my hamster wouldnt open them his-self so we scraped them on sandstone, have you tried lodging another sunflower seed in the 'gap' of the seed and twist it might work but never tried it

SD

[Rhona]

You could crush them with a rolling pin, bash 'em up a bit, then put them in cold water and the shells SHOULD float to the top. Or pulse lightly in a food processor and put in the water.

Or my favourite method, buy them ready to eat from Holland and Barratt/Tesco/wherever, and leave the unshelled ones for the birds...

We've got lots of sunflowers, and whilst I'd love to have time to use some of the seeds, we'll end up leaving them to self-seed/be a food source.

[Madame Mucksprout]

Hi all,

Thank you for your comments.

I think realistically Ill end up leaving them for the birds and squrills, Im going to give 'bashing them' with the rolling pin a whirl - a few home grown seeds on my ceareal would be really lovely.

Ill let you know how I get on when they are ready.

Thanks

[Polly Fouracre]

Toast them first for a few minutes in a hot oven. Let them cool ,then put the rolling pin over them, pressing down firmly. Most of the shells can then be shaken to one side. Or you may fancy winnowing them with a hair-dyer or something.