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How to keep cilantro for the winter
Cilantro is a spicy herb that is rich in vitamins, organic acids and nutrients. In the summer, you can buy it at the bazaar or grow it in the garden, but what to do in the winter? How to keep fresh cilantro for the winter and not lose its aroma, color and beneficial properties? Let’s consider several ways of procurement.
How to keep cilantro for the winter
How to keep cilantro fresh: freezing
Freezing cilantro will help preserve the green color and nutritional properties of cilantro. To do this, you need to sort and wash the herbs, dry them with paper towels, put them in a bag and put them in the freezer.
Tip: if you send cilantro to boiling water for 15-30 seconds, and then to ice cold water for a few seconds, the leaves will not lose their bright color during storage.
Freezing in oil (olive, sunflower or butter) is used to preserve the beneficial properties of essential oils in cilantro. To do this, fill the mold 2/3 with herbs and fill it with any oil, put it in the freezer. After the cooked mass has solidified, it is taken out of the mold and transferred to a bag.
For freezing, it is advisable to choose fresh, juicy and fragrant leaves. Chopping greens is not recommended. Cilantro is stored for no more than six months, while it slightly changes the taste.
How to keep cilantro for the winter: drying
For drying, both whole branches of the plant and chopped leaves are used. Sprigs of cilantro are collected in a bunch and hung upside down, and the leaves are laid out on a tray in a thin layer. Before this, the greens must be washed and all damaged parts are removed.
Dry it in a dry ventilated room, where there is no direct sunlight. After complete drying, they are transferred to a clean glass jar and removed to a dark, cool place. Under such conditions, cilantro is stored for about a year. In dried form, it is used for dressing dishes and medicinal decoctions.
How to preserve cilantro: marinade and salting
The recipe for cilantro marinade is very simple. For cooking, you will need greens, 300 ml of water, a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp. l. 9% vinegar.
1. Bring water to a boil, then add salt and vinegar.
2. Wash the cilantro and place it tightly in a glass jar (not to the edge).
3. Pour the herbs completely with the prepared marinade.
4. Allow to cool, then add 1 tbsp. l. sunflower oil.
You can store the marinade in the refrigerator or basement. This seasoning will add a spicy flavor to meat, salad or sauce.
Another way to cook cilantro for the winter is salting. The greens are washed, dried and crushed. Then they are tamped into jars and salt is added. For 100 g of cilantro, 20 g of salt is needed. The greens are laid tightly and pressed down so that the juice stands out. Then the jar is closed and put into the refrigerator.
Each procurement method is affordable and simple. Do not limit yourself to one option, use several at once, and then the greens can be added to any dishes.