Like it or not, monsoon is not as happy and bright as it seems. Unfortunately, it also brings along several health risks, most of which are food-borne. Hence, you would find experts and elders at home asking us to avoid various food items available around - one such being the leafy greens. You read that right! Although we grow up hearing, "eat your greens", it is this time of the year, you will find people avoiding it as much as possible. Why, you wonder? According to several studies, the increased humidity in the air can lead to excess moisture absorption in these greens, making them the breeding ground for harmful germs and bacteria. And if not eaten carefully, these bacteria may lead to food poisoning, diarrhoea and several other gut-problems.
So, to eliminate the risk altogether, people avoid adding greens to their monsoon diet. But we feel, that is not a feasible solution to the problem. After all, leafy greens load us up with several healthy nutrients! Instead, we bring you some tried-and-tested hacks to clean the leafy greens properly before consumption. All you need to do is, follow five basic steps every time before cooking or eating the greens. Let's take you through.
Also Read: Clean, Dry And Store! Why You Must Wash Leafy Greens Before Storing
Photo Credit: iStock
Here're 5 Simple Steps To Follow While Cleaning Leafy Vegetables In Monsoon:
1. Sort the clean leaves:
Start with separating the clean and healthy-looking leaves from the soggy and yellow-ish ones. Then cut the stem of the clean leaves.
2. Wash them properly:
In this step, many people use store-bought vegetable cleaning solutions to wash the greens. But we say, you can avoid using any artificial products; instead, wash them well under running water. We like taking time and cleaning each of the leaves separately.
3. Dry them well:
After cleaning, strain the excess water and dry the leaves under fan. You can also pat them well with kitchen towel. Now, you can either store these greens for future or use them immediately.
4. Blanch the greens:
Whether you have it raw (in form of salad or chutney) or it to cook saag, it is important to blanch the greens for added safety. Boil water with some salt and switch of the flame. Add the greens and let it soak for 30 seconds. Keeping the greens in hot water for long can affect its colour and crunch.
5. Give it an ice bath:
You must follow this step immediately after soaking the greens in hot water. All you need to do is transfer the greens in ice water and keep it for a minute. This will help keep the colour and crunch of the greens intact.
That's it! Now you have clean and safe greens ready to be relished. Follow these steps religiously and enjoy your greens throughout the year!