Is it possible to freeze cilantro for the winter and how to do it correctly?

Storing cilantro as a winter billet is a great alternative to using it fresh.Even in frozen or canned condition, cilantro is capable of retaining beneficial vitamins and substances. This culture is valued for its beneficial effects on the human body and the ability to strengthen the immune system. Often used as a spicy seasoning for soups and main dishes. Cilantro is often called by another name - coriander. In this article we will look at how to properly freeze cilantro at home.

For better preservation of cilantro for the winter It is recommended to adhere to several easy recommendations.

• Seed umbrella plants desirable to collect in arid sunny days.
• Washed seeds should be dried only in a dry room with a normal level of humidity. Seeds should be kept out of the reach of sunlight.
• Umbrella preferably grind independently. Seeds at this moment are separated and carefully laid aside.
• Seeds should be stored in a dry glass container. If possible, the container should be of frosted or tinted glass.
• Coriander can be stored in a dry and well-ventilated place for no more than four years.

There are several methods of freezing coriander at home. Depending on your preferences, the availability of free time and the desired end result, you can choose the method that will satisfy your requirements.

Longer storage destroys the structure of the plant and the vitamins that are in the composition. In this regard, the use of cilantro in food in its original form is unlikely. However, there is a method that will help protect the plant from the loss of nutrients, rich taste and aroma - freezing. To date, there are several different ways of freezing. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each.

“Is it permissible to freeze cilantro?” Is a question that a large number of gardeners are interested in. It is possible to store frozen coriander, however, the beneficial properties in the composition will be preserved for a much shorter period than in dried form. But frost also has its advantages, for example, preserving the original taste and aroma.

To freeze the cilantro in this way, you first need to carefully sort out the plant and remove dried branches and leaves. Please note: due to the fact that in the process of freezing cilantro withers, for this you should choose only bright green and succulent plants.

After the greens have been moved, it should be thoroughly washed. To do this, holding the stems, put the cilantro in a bowl with cold water poured into it and rinse vigorously. Cilantro is washed until the water in the bowl is clean. Typically, this process will need to be repeated 2 or 3 times.

Then all the water from the leaves must be shaken off and blotted with paper towels. You can also lay them out on a gauze napkin and leave to dry completely. It is undesirable to admit the remnants of moisture on the plant, since water will eventually turn into ice and take up additional space in a sealed bag.

Dried branches of coriander are divided into bunches of medium size, after which they are tied with laces. Excessively long stems, knocked out of the beam, it is permissible to trim. Then the branches are placed in sealed bags made of polyethylene and closed, sent for further storage in the freezer.

Often, washed cilantro is blanched before freezing to preserve bright color. To do this, it is immersed for 15-30 seconds in boiling water, and then for the same amount in ice water. More than 30 seconds cilantro in boiling water can not be kept. So it will lose its useful properties and structure.

This method differs from the previous one a little: dried greens are not divided into bunches, but simply chopped with a knife, and then sent to bags for freezing, and then into the freezer. In this case, you can decompose the greens in portions in small bags, and not to stack all in one pile.

This method will require a special form for making ice and ordinary foil. First of all, do not forget to thoroughly wash the plant. Then the branches and leaves are crushed into small pieces. Shredded cilantro unfolded into each ice compartment in an even layer and one teaspoonful of warm boiled water or vegetable oil was added. Then the form for ice is put in the freezer for 12 hours. After that, the "ice" greens are removed from the form and wrapped in a piece of foil. Then the cubes with cilantro are folded in an airtight bag or food container.

In recent years, many housewives prefer freezing cilantro, which was pre-processed in vegetable oil. To do this, the plant is manually broken into several pieces (no more than 3 centimeters) and milled with a blender. In the resulting mixture, add vegetable oil in a ratio of 80 milliliters per 50 grams of herb. Then the contents are vigorously stirred to form puree, which is subsequently poured into ice forms and put into the freezer. As soon as the puree freezes and gets into shape, it is packaged in airtight sachets and sent for storage in the freezer for several months.

If it is necessary to freeze a small amount of coriander, it is recommended to do the following procedure: put the shredded plant on ice cubes and pour olive oil on top of it. Then send the resulting ice cubes to the freezer.

An alternative to the previous method of storing coriander is freezing in butter. To do this, pour 3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro into a clean container and add 100 grams of softened butter. Do not allow oil to thaw - it should not be liquid.

Then the resulting mass is intensively mixed. If desired, it is permissible to add a clove of garlic, black or red pepper, a pinch of salt and citric acid. Next, you need to decompose the cilantro moved with butter on parchment paper, put it in the refrigerator and wait for it to harden. After that, you can move the frozen coriander into the freezer, after dividing it into portions and placing them in airtight sachets.

It is no secret that the use of cilantro has a beneficial effect on our body, especially in the winter, when there is a shortage of vitamins.

Below are several factors that determine the value of this green.

• Cilantro has an antiseptic effect, thereby helping to eliminate inflammation. Stops bleeding in the gums.
• It contributes to the normalization of the hormonal background in the female body, reduces pain during menstruation, increases the activity of the reproductive function.
• It removes toxins from the body and reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood.
• Relieves swelling, removing excess fluid from the body.
• Increases brain activity.

Although frozen cilantro can be kept much longer fresh, this does not mean that it can be eaten forever.

Consider the shelf life of cilantro frozen in various ways:

• in vegetable or olive oil - 3 months;
• in butter - 1 month;
• if thawed and left in the refrigerator, the product should be consumed within 5 days.

The benefits of cilantro and methods of freezing for the winter can be found in the video below.