How to Keep Coriander Fresh and Green: हरे धनिये को ताजा लम्बे समय तक कैसे रखे

Do you often wonder as to how to keep coriander fresh and green for a long time? Most of us are often intrigued with the question: hara dhaniya ko fresh kaise rakhe?

If you have always struggled to keep coriander fresh and green for longer, then you are sailing in the same boat as me. I, too, had the same experience for a long time unless I sought my late nani's advice. Her trick works to keep greens fresh longer in winters. 

If you are unsure how to preserve coriander for summers, opt for this method to dry coriander leaves green. You can go ahead and make coriander powder.

हरे धनिये को ताजा लम्बे समय तक कैसे रखे : how to keep coriander fresh

Recipe:

For summers, I have decided to experiment by drying coriander leaves in shade the same way my mom dries mint leaves, and her trick to keeping mint fresh has worked to keep coriander fresh too. I have got green dried coriander leaves that can be used in curries and even make chutneys.  Powder it and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

So if you are wondering how to keep coriander fresh during winters, wrap washed coriander in a cloth and refirgerate. Keep checking coriander every few days. If possible, change the cloth too. You can keep coriander fresh and green for almost 30 days.

Of course, keeping veggies fresh for longer is a hassle. At least, this is my experience.

I have tried many methods, all of which failed me. From keeping veggies in freezer in zip locks to placing coriander in a glass of water - changing water every few days. Well, this trick does help, but the hassle to keep changing the water every other day is too much for me. I admit I tend to forget changing the water.

So I asked my grandma, who is almost 95 years, as to how to preserve veggies. Well, her reaction firs of all was - why don't you want to eat it fresh? Why the need for preserving veggies & greens?

Well, I did explain it to her about my time constraints, and she was not content with my replies.

beans look so fresh after 6 days

greens tightly packed

But she did advise me this simple way to keep greens fresh.

Her simple funda - keep them from moisture and they will stay fresh!

my dear nani -maternal grandmom

Let me brief you about my nani - I shared this with Kanwal Chatwal aunty recently in Facebook.

People of my nani's generation had something unique - some special connection with the Lord. My nani is the same. She wakes up at 3 am everyday and has been doing this since ages, bathes with cold water even on the coldest days of winter, and recites her prayers. She is 95 today :) Hats off to her efforts, spirit, and zeal!

Coming back to keeping veggies green, I followed her tip religiously and observed how my veggies stayed fresh for at least 6 days. It's the sixth day today and they look so fresh, so I have decided to spread the word about it.

Sharing is caring, I believe!
But my nani did advise me to eat fresh- which I always do :)
Now this trick to keep greens fresh does work and is surely a keeper.

coriander stays fresh & green for the 7th day

How to preserve greens

One easy way to eliminate all your worries about keeping your greens & veggies fresh for longer. :)

coriander on the 9th day

Pat veggies/greens dry.

Do not remove their roots, nor pluck the leaves. Do not wash them before refrigerating.

Keep them as is. Pluck the leaves only when you need them.

Cover them in a cotton cloth or kitchen towel.

Pack the cloth tightly in a poly bag/zip lock/ air tight container.

Refrigerate. Keep in the fridge door. DO NOT PUT THESE IN THE FREEZER,

Keep the moisture at bay.

Greens will stay fresh for at least 7 days and longer - these veggies have been stored for 6 days already and look how green and fresh they appear. :)

I have kept coriander, beans, and green chilly separately in a cotton cloth and packed the clothes tightly in a poly wrap.

Follow this trick to save veggies for longer.

This trick works best for coriander, perhaps mint as well.

For methi or fenugreek, this works but not as good as coriander. I will try to keep methi along with roots and see if that makes a difference.

fenugreek/methi on 8th day

On the 10th day, I have noticed that the cloth feels little wet. So I advise changing the cloth after 8 or 9 days or you could take out the veggies along with the cloth and keep out in the open until moisture evaporates. So you can use the same cloth.

Coriander as fresh on the 16th day

Here's feedback from Balvinder kaur on keeping greens fresh - her coriander on 12th day

Some people choose paper or tissue for keeping veggies, which are good options...but then we all have so many unused clothes lying in our closets..so why waste paper, isn't it? After all, so many trees fall for paper every year ...
Food for thought!

Here's a handy tip from Balvinder Kaur as to how to store spring onion greens for longer :)