Arugula is a very healthy herb. In Italy, they cannot imagine their national cuisine without this herb; arugula is even called “Italian dandelion” for this.
Arugula has a special taste, it has a slight sourness, slightly spicy and pungent. Someone tastes this herb like a nut, while others – pepper or mustard.
Why arugula is bitter
The fact that arugula is bitter is not an exception to the rule, but its peculiarity. But sometimes the bitterness is felt beyond measure. The fact is that there are different varieties of arugula, which have different shades of taste. Some varieties have a more peppery or mustard flavor, and some have a more nutty flavor.
The second reason why arugula can taste bitter is improper cultivation. Arugula loves coolness. And it happens that it is grown in the heat and in such unfavorable conditions the plant does not gain green mass, but sits in one pore. Several weeks pass, the plant grows old, but does not grow. if you add to this poor watering, then such a plant is doomed to taste bitter.
How to get rid of the bitterness in arugula
The first method… Cover the arugula with salted water before use. After half an hour, drain this water and rinse the leaves under clean, running water. Be sure to dry the arugula with paper towels.
second method… Boiling water will also help remove bitterness. Scald the leaves with hot water and rinse immediately under cold running water.
A third method… And if you grow arugula yourself, then this life hack is for you. If the growing leaves are covered with something dark that does not let the sunlight through, after 1-2 days the leaves will turn pale green, lose all the bitterness, but retain all the useful trace elements and vitamins.
And finally advice – know that the large leaves of arugula are more bitter, pay attention to its size when buying, small, young leaves will not taste bitter – and try to choose them