Cilantro is valued for its fragrant aroma and fullness of healthy substances. It has a beneficial effect on taste buds and enhances appetite. Therefore, the aromatic herbaceous plant is widely used in cooking, although not everyone is delighted with its smell.
Fresh cilantro does not last long - less than parsley or dill. But lovers of this fragrant spice can take advantage of several ways to keep greens for a longer time and make preparations for the winter.
How to store fresh cilantro
Freshly picked or bought in the market cilantro should be stored in the refrigerator. Before sending it to the shelf, you need to do such manipulations:
- Inspect a bunch of cilantro, remove small dirt. Do not wash the greens.
- Prepare a pair of scissors or a knife and trim the stems lightly. This frees up the fresher part of the plant, which will absorb water unhindered.
- Fill a jar with clean water and put a bouquet of cilantro in it. Stems should be buried in the liquid, and the leaves - to be out of the water.
- Cover the jar with a plastic bag. It can be secured with a rubber band. This will protect the cilantro from the ingress of air, which will contribute to better conservation of greenery.
- Put the kinza on the shelf in the fridge.
The water in the bank must be changed every three to four days. You should also check the tips of cilantro. If they start to rot - take a knife and cut off the tainted part. Another way to keep fresh cilantro:
- Put unwashed greens in the bag.
- Peel a small onion and add it there.
- Send the package of cilantro to the fridge.
After three or four days, the onion should be replaced with a fresh one. If the package is wet - it should be changed.
You can keep the greens until the leaves begin to change color and wilt. Usually in the refrigerator cilantro keeps fresh and bright color for up to two weeks.
How to keep cilantro for the winter. Freeze
For the preparation of cilantro for the winter is used:
- freezing;
- drying;
- salting.
Freezing helps preserve the natural green color of cilantro. This process is simple:
- Wash greens and bust.
- Dry completely.
- Cut the cilantro or leave whole twigs.
- Put the greens tightly in plastic containers or packages, send them to the freezer, it is reasonable to place no more than 60 grams of cilantro in each package.
Freezing can be done in another way:
- Pour the chopped cilantro into ice molds.
- Fill with water so that it covers greens.
- Send to freezer.
- After freezing, remove the green cubes, wrap each individually in cling film, fold into a container and put back into the freezer.
In the refrigerator, frozen cilantro will remain until the next harvest. Its taste will change somewhat, but the nutrients and flavor will remain.
Harvesting dried cilantro for the winter
Dried herbs do not lose their nutrients and stored for at least a year. Therefore, cilantro can be prepared for the winter in this way:
- Put the greens in a bowl or in a bowl of water. Let her swim for about ten minutes. This will allow dirt, debris and insects to separate.
- Rinse the cilantro under running water.
- Dry the greens on a paper towel.
- Cut the cilantro. It should not be too small, because after drying, it will significantly decrease in size.
- Prepare a tray, tray or other flatware.
- Cover the bottom with parchment paper.
- Lay a thin layer of cilantro.
- Send to the oven turned on for a slight heat (40 degrees). After 4 or 5 hours, greens can be removed.
Cilantro, dried properly, crumbles, but does not crumble to dust.
Dry cilantro can be on the veranda, balcony, attic, in a darkened place in the kitchen. Greens need to be mixed periodically to dry evenly.
Cilantro is dried in small bunches. They should be firmly tied up and hung down leaves in a dry room (in the closet, shed, on the veranda). Cover the leaves with paper bags in which to pre-make holes for ventilation. After two weeks, the greens will reach the desired condition.
Well dried cilantro should be poured into glass containers. Suit and canvas bag. Store cilantro in a dry place. Periodically it is necessary to check whether the mole or mold has not formed in the greenery.
Salting greens
Salting is another way to preserve cilantro for the winter. For every 100 grams of green will need 20 grams of salt. This is done like this:
- The stems are cut off.
- Cilantro washed, dried and crushed.
- Greens are placed in a clean jar in parts, tamped and sprinkled with salt.
- After filling the container to the top, the cilantro is pressed so that the juice appears.
- The jars are covered with lids and loaded into the refrigerator. You need to choose a place closer to the freezer.
Cilantro will last until spring. It can be added to meat dishes, soups, salads, lobio. Food gets much tastier.
The farm uses other methods of preserving cilantro. The main thing - do not be lazy and take advantage of them. Then cilantro will be on the menu all year round, enriching the diet and helping the body to maintain health.
