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Spicy coriander greens with a spicy aroma are called “cilantro” in the Caucasus, and “cilantro” in South America. A fresh pungent smell, which becomes softer as the herb matures, accompanies many dishes of Georgian and Mexican cuisine. Cilantro connoisseurs want to consume cilantro all year round, not just in the summer when all greens grow. To do this, it must be properly stored in order to not only enjoy the taste in winter, but also receive health benefits.
Features of cilantro
All herbs that people eat have some beneficial properties. Cilantro is no exception, its leaves contain essential oils, vitamins, organic acids, which have a general strengthening effect on the body. Biologically active substances help to process meat and fatty foods, protect the body from toxins. If you use cilantro regularly, blood circulation will improve, many problems with blood pressure and the gastrointestinal tract will go away.
There is rarely a person who is indifferent to this interesting weed. Usually people are very fond of cilantro or actively do not accept it, they are annoyed by the slightest smell. This is due to its composition, essential oils and biologically active substances benefit someone, but someone’s body rejects them, because it is afraid of harm. Even allergic reactions to this plant are possible, but they are probably not frequent, judging by the wide distribution and high demand for cilantro around the world.
Why you need to prepare
In summer, fresh herbs are added to salads, sauces, first or second courses, it is easy to do even for city dwellers who do not have a dacha. But in winter this is not so easy to do. You can store it in the refrigerator for no more than 3 weeks. They do it this way: freshly picked twigs or leaves are placed in water, the container is covered with a plastic bag. This is the same with all herbs. Leaves will not last longer when stored without water, if they are simply placed in bags or plastic containers.
In order not to exclude cilantro from the diet at the end of the summer, people have come up with many ways to prepare it for the winter. It is salted, marinated, and special dressings are made that can be stored much longer so that you can add it to ready-made dishes all winter or use it in their preparation.
For the marinade, you need to take 0,3 liters of water 1 tablespoon of 9% vinegar, a pinch of salt. The cilantro greens are washed, dried with a paper towel, finely cut, tightly placed in glass jars, poured with marinade, let it brew for a while. A little vegetable oil is poured on top for better preservation.
Some housewives suggest using a seasoning from oriental cuisine called “Chutney” as a preparation for the winter. Walnuts, garlic, coriander greens, its seeds, which for some reason we call “coriander”, onions, hot peppers without seeds are ground and, stirring constantly, diluted with marinade. The marinade is made very quickly by mixing 50 ml of boiled water with 3 tablespoons of wine vinegar. The sauce is brought to the consistency of a thick soft paste.
If desired, add turmeric, salt or paprika to it. This ready-made sauce keeps well in the cold and saves cilantro lovers all winter. Coriander greens can be prepared in other similar ways – Eastern and Latin American cuisines offer many sauces based on cilantro. Well, for those who prefer more traditional harvesting methods, or simply do not want to dilute the taste and smell of cilantro with other spices, there are drying or freezing.
Video “Helpful Tips for Preserving Greenery”
Demonstrative video with useful tips on how to keep greens fresh.
Drying
For drying, fresh greens are selected, collected before flowering – the riper the plant, the softer and weaker its specific aroma becomes. Coriander sprigs, like other herbs, are usually dried in bunches suspended by stems in ventilated areas: in kitchens, verandas, attics. The main thing is that there is no direct sunlight, and the temperature does not rise above 40 degrees. To protect from dust (or the sun), grass tufts are covered with a thin natural cloth or paper bag.
If the owners want to keep the chopped greens, then it will need to be dried on special horizontal planes: pallets or trays. Twigs (or leaves torn from them) are sorted out, leaving only clean, healthy, undamaged ones. Then they are cut and laid out on pallets covered with paper in a thin layer. It is necessary to dry in a dry, ventilated area, away from direct sunlight, stirring occasionally to prevent mold or caking of plant material. You can put the tray in the oven, dry with the door ajar at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees. Store dried herbs preferably in glass jars with tightly closed lids.
Drying allows you to save not only the aroma, but also all the useful properties of cilantro until next spring. Some housewives claim that before drying, as well as before other manipulations, the grass must be washed and then dried with a paper towel. Others argue that it’s not worth washing clean-looking plants, anyway, then they don’t eat dry grass just like that, but add it to dishes that are still undergoing heat treatment. Here everyone must decide for himself.
Further freezing
Modern freezers provide an excellent opportunity to harvest greens for the winter in frozen form. This is also a great way to preserve all the beneficial properties of the plant and strengthen the health of your family by adding summer vitamins to your dishes in winter. For freezing, healthy fresh plants are selected, finely cut, laid out in bags, tightly closed and placed in the freezer. You can also freeze in batches. For this, ice molds are used. Cut leaves are placed in them, poured with water and frozen. Then you can take out one ice cube at a time throughout the winter and throw it into soup, stew or any other dish.
You can freeze cilantro leaves not only with water, but also with oil. A container of the right size (usually small) is filled with leaves and not water is added, but any vegetable or melted butter. It will also freeze, and will retain greens no worse than water. Oil, and even frozen, will also help preserve the useful components of cilantro until the next harvest. You can cook a snack oil with spicy herbs.
To do this, cilantro is washed, chopped and mixed with butter, preparing a delicious “spread” for a sandwich or toast. Then, with the help of cling film or parchment, they form a “sausage” convenient for storage and cutting, and place it in the freezer. It will be possible to cut off a piece and use it for cooking minced meat, vegetables, rice or potatoes within six months.
Video “How to freeze any greens”
Demonstrative video with examples and instructions on how to freeze any greens.
