CHENNAI: Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, people across the globe have been living their worst apocalyptic nightmares. While the Americans have been panic purchasing and hoarding toilet paper, many Indians have been stocking their fridge with fruits and vegetables. We too stocked up and then a few days into the lockdown, we opened our fridge to bundles of drooping greens, peeling skins and softened veggies. We spoke to homemakers, chefs and food enthusiasts to find different ways in which one can make fruits and veggies last longer
Wrap it up Leafy greens like spinach and coriander stay fresh much longer when wrapped in newspaper. “Ideally, leafy greens must be consumed within the first three days. However, you can extend its life by wrapping the leaf in a paper (newspapers will do too). The paper absorbs the moisture from the leaf which stops it from rotting too fast,” says Dr Shilpi Ray, geriatric specialist based in Chennai.
Tomato troubles Most Indians love to buy tomatoes in bulk. This vegetable which is used generously in most of our foods also runs the risk of rotting if not used after a few days of purchase, depending on the ambient conditions. “One way to save your tomatoes is to keep them outside the fridge in a bowl lined with paper napkins. Contrary to popular belief, tomatoes fare badly in cold temperatures. They lose flavour and texture when refrigerated,” says D Nitin, a food enthusiast and home cook.
Ice bath = nice bath Who doesn’t love a crispy bite of lettuce leaves in a burger or salad? The best way to revive wilted leaves is by dunking them in an ice bath. “The cold temperature awakens the crispy leaves and helps revive their freshness,” says Mallika Binny Krishna, home-maker and food enthusiast. She adds that the ice bath helps revive nutrition as well.
Frozen for health The simplest and most widely used method to have your fruits and vegetables last longer is to slice them and freeze them in ziplock bags. “Before storing them, blanching fruits and vegetables in hot water helps keep the bacteria away. Items like cucumber, broccoli, capsicum, cabbage, brinjals and mushrooms are some that can be stored using this method. One can store strawberries, bananas, watermelons and grapes too,” says Kishan Mahalingam, a nutritionist, adding that fruits can be sliced before being frozen.
Apples and potatoes When potatoes are stored for over two weeks they begin to sprout buds. To increase the lifespan, try storing apples and potatoes together outside the fridge. The ethylene gas produced by apples can make potatoes last for around eight weeks. “When the potatoes begin to sprout buds, it means that germination has begun. The vegetable will eventually blacken and die if the shoots are not catered to. Apples prevent the potato shoots from sprouting. This increases the lifetime of the potato,” says Salma Hyder, food enthusiast.
Capping the stalk No one likes to eat the squishy part of a banana. The fruit has a life span of just about four days before the fruit flies come buzzing. “One easy way to store bananas is to cover its stalk with an aluminium foil or plastic wrap. It prevents the stalk from drying up quickly, hence, keeping the banana fresh,” says Kishan.