How to choose the right sorrel?

There are more than 200 varieties of sorrel, and the leaves do not always have a uniform green color, which is considered traditional. Green sorrel can often be seen on store shelves, but some species have burgundy-green leaves.

Sorrel can be sold fresh or frozen. Leaves can be sealed in airtight containers or bags. Canned sorrel can often be seen on store shelves. It is recommended to buy only fresh leaves, it is difficult to evaluate sorrel in other types. This is especially difficult with frozen food.

How to choose sorrel

When purchased, sorrel is priced according to the principle of choosing greens. The leaves should look fresh and youthful. If any insects are present in the sorrel, then you should refuse to buy it. Sometimes, for example, aphids or even ticks can be clearly visible in the foliage.

What kind of sorrel should you buy:

• it is recommended to buy rich green sorrel with bright green leaves;
• if you tear a leaf, then the aroma of sorrel should become sour and saturated;
• it is better to buy sorrel with small leaves;
• sorrel leaves should be dense and elastic to the touch;
• the color of the leaves should be uniform;
• there should be no traces of insect or parasitic damage on the leaves (points of any shade or growths);
• sorrel should not have extraneous odors (the aroma of the leaves is not too saturated, but if you smell mold or dampness, then you should not buy sorrel);
• sorrel leaves should be dry and never wet;
• sorrel leaves must be intact (stems must not be completely torn off).

If sorrel is bought in containers, then it is quite difficult to identify the presence of dry or damaged leaves. Vendors may deliberately mask spoiled leaves under a layer of fresh sorrel. That is why it is better to buy sorrel in bunches.

What kind of sorrel is not worth buying:

• if the leaves are too large, then the sorrel is old (the taste of such leaves will be changed, and the consistency will be more rigid and dry);
• if the leaves have spots or dots of any shade, then you should not buy such sorrel (such signs may appear on the leaves as a result of the use of excessive amounts of chemical fertilizers or after infection with diseases);
• it is also worth abandoning the purchase of sluggish leaves (there will be no juiciness in them);
• the pale color of sorrel may indicate a lack of moisture when growing it or creating the wrong conditions;
• do not buy sorrel with wet leaves (it will not last long, and the liquid could be used to remove traces of parasites or significant contamination);
• It is not recommended to buy sorrel with signs of decay (even if you sort out a bunch of sorrel, bacteria can penetrate into leaves that seem fresh at first glance);
• you must refuse to buy sorrel with yellow or yellowing leaves (the taste properties of such leaves will be violated, and their structure will be dry and tough)
• if sorrel leaves are sticky or other foreign substances are present on them, then this is a sign of processing them with chemical fertilizers (you should not eat such leaves even after thorough washing);
• a significant darkening of the leaves can be observed in an old sorrel or in a plant grown using a significant amount of chemicals (after cooking, such sorrel will be tough and with a less pronounced taste characteristics);
• you cannot buy too dusty sorrel (dust settles not only on the surface of the leaves, but also penetrates into them, the use of such sorrel in food can be harmful to health);
• if the sorrel leaves are not intact, then the seller probably tried to hide traces of diseases or parasites (the area of ​​the leaf with lesions could simply be torn off).

It is recommended to immerse sorrel in cold water for a while before cooking. If there are small insects or dirt in the foliage, then all the debris will float to the surface of the liquid. It is important to keep the sorrel in the water for too long. Otherwise, the leaves may absorb too much moisture and become watery.