Hygiene in the kitchen is the key to safety and health. This applies not only to washing hands before cooking, but also to the proper processing of products. We will tell you how to properly wash green spices and whether you should do it.
Should you wash the fresh spices
Most people who have a personal garden where they grow spices are sure: the tastiest fruit are those we eat from the branch and green spices straight from the stem. This makes sense - freshly picked plants contain more vitamins and trace elements.
But this does not mean that hygiene should be neglected. Green spices should be washed even if you have grown them in your garden and not bought them at the market or store. Processing is necessary to clean large and small leaves from dust, dirt, small insects - ants and spiders.
Very rarely in greenhouse plants - those we buy in the store, eggs of parasites are found, which, if they get into the body, can cause helminthiasis or worms.
How to wash fresh spices properly
There are a few basic rules for cleaning and processing green spices:
First, sort and clean the plants well: remove any yellow leaves and inflorescences; if necessary, remove the roots; check that no inedible weeds have accidentally fallen in between the green spices.
Soak the greens in lukewarm water for 15 minutes. This is necessary to clean them from insects that can hide between the leaves.
No need to wash them for a long time: after soaking, rinse them with water. As a rule, to clean the leaves from contamination, it is enough to quickly rinse a bunch of lettuce, parsley or dill under running water. If cooking for children, pour boiling water over the plants.
To completely safely get rid of possible contamination, you can soak green spices with salt or vinegar. A tablespoon of vinegar per liter of water is sufficient for a disinfectant solution. The mixture helps get rid of 30% of the nitrates and brings the parasite eggs to the surface. This method should be used if you are unsure of the quality of the greens.
Do not wash green spices with chemicals, cleaning solutions and soap. These substances cannot be completely washed off the plants, which means that they will get into the food and can cause allergic reactions or poisoning.
Also read what dishes green spices are added to and how to grow green spices at home.
