For those of you who like Thai dishes, of course, cilantro is a spice that is no longer foreign to consumption. Unfortunately, cilantro is very perishable so it must be processed or eaten immediately after purchase. Luckily, though, there are a few tips you can practice to make the freshness of the cilantro last longer, even weeks or months! With the help of a glass of water and a plastic bag, you can store cilantro in the refrigerator for two weeks. Want to store cilantro for a few months? Try putting it in the freezer. To increase its shelf life, you can dry the cilantro and place it on a dry, dark kitchen shelf. Come on, read this article to find complete information!
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Method 1 of 4: Storing Fresh Coriander Leaves in the Fridge
Step 1. Fill 5 to 7 cm bottom of a glass or other container with water
No need to submerge the entire leaf in water! Instead, simply soak the stems in the recommended amount of water to keep them fresh.
Wash the container thoroughly to ensure that there are no residual contaminants that could damage the quality of the cilantro
Step 2. Dry the coriander leaves with kitchen paper
Remember, cilantro must be dry when put in the refrigerator. Therefore, you must first pat the surface with a paper towel to dry it. Do not rub the leaves so that there are no torn strands
Even if the cilantro looks dirty, don't clean it at this stage. Instead, wash the cilantro just before using it
Step 3. Cut the cilantro stalks as much as 2.5 cm
Take a handful of coriander leaves and place them on a cutting board. With the help of a very sharp knife, cut the bottom stem so that the part that is exposed to the water is the fresher stem. In addition, this process will also make it easier for water to be absorbed while the coriander leaves are stored. Remember, use a very sharp knife so that the stem is actually cut, not torn.
- If you want, you can also use sharp kitchen scissors.
- Once the stems are cut, don't leave the cilantro in the air for too long to prevent the stems from drying out.
Step 4. Put the coriander leaves in a glass or container of water until the stems are submerged
Immediately after cutting the cilantro, place the cilantro in a glass or container of water. Make sure the stems are submerged and the leaves are facing up.
Do this process slowly, as you would when you put fresh flowers in a vase. Don't cram the leaves into the vase
Step 5. Cover the leaf surface with a loose plastic bag
Make sure the plastic bag covers the entire surface of the leaves and the mouth of the container, yes! This stage must be done so that the leaves do not dry out due to direct exposure to air.
- If you want, you can also tie the mouth of the bag with rubber or tape to keep it from shifting.
- Make sure the plastic bag doesn't wrap the leaves too tightly or push them down.
Step 6. Put the container in the refrigerator
Since cilantro can only survive in very cold temperatures, the refrigerator is the perfect place to keep it fresh. Make sure the container is placed in an area that is not prone to being bumped by other containers.
Also, place the container in an area that is easy to see. In this way, you can monitor the freshness of the cilantro more easily
Step 7. Change the water in the container when the color starts to change
Since the freshness of the leaves will only last with the help of clean water, make sure you change the water in the container every few days. To do this, simply remove the container from the refrigerator and remove the cilantro inside. Then, remove the water that fills the container and rinse the container. After that, refill the container with new water, then return the coriander leaves to it.
Step 8. Use cilantro within 2 weeks
If the water is changed regularly and the cilantro is always cold, it should last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Continue to monitor the condition of the leaves and don't forget to remove leaves that are no longer fresh.
- If the color of the leaves looks dark or turns dark green, it means that the quality is no longer good. In particular, the brown color indicates that the leaves have rotted.
- Since rotting leaves give off a very unpleasant odor, make sure you throw them away immediately.
Method 2 of 4: Freezing Coriander Leaves in a Plastic Bag
Step 1. Clean the cilantro stalks
Place the cilantro in the hollow basket, then hold the basket over the sink. Run the leaves with tap water while gently shaking the basket so that the entire leaf surface is exposed to the water. Then, turn off the faucet and let the remaining water drip to the bottom of the sink for a few minutes.
Step 2. Lightly pat the cilantro with a paper towel to dry it
Use kitchen paper to dry off any remaining water on the leaf surface, but make sure not to rub the leaves so they don't tear.
Another easier method for drying the leaves is to wrap them in a paper towel, then gently roll them across the counter to absorb the excess water
Step 3. Separate the cilantro from the stem if you want to freeze the leaves in small portions
In fact, coriander leaves can be frozen whole with the stems. However, this method will make it difficult for you to measure the number of leaves when you use them later. Therefore, you can use a knife or kitchen shears to separate the coriander leaves from the stems before freezing. Then, discard the cilantro. In this way, the use of coriander leaves can be more easily controlled when it is processed.
Step 4. Arrange the coriander leaves on the baking sheet
Line the baking sheet beforehand with a sheet of freezer paper so that the leaves don't stick to the bottom of the pan when frozen. Then, lay the leaves on it in a single layer or not overlapping each other. Make sure that each leaf does not stick together so that it is easier to take it when it will be processed later.
- Don't have freezer paper? You can substitute wax paper or parchment paper.
- Use more pans if you have a large number of leaves to freeze. Never pile up leaves to save on baking sheet use!
Step 5. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes
During this time, each leaf will freeze separately and there is no risk of sticking when you put it together in another container.
Don't place anything on the baking sheet and make sure the pan is also placed on a flat area so the leaves don't fall apart or shift
Step 6. Transfer the frozen leaves to a special plastic bag to store food in the freezer
After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the freezer and immediately transfer the leaves to a special plastic bag. Do this process quickly so that the leaves don't melt and stick together when stored in another container.
- Remove any remaining air before the bag is closed tightly.
- To make the process of storing leaves or other spices easier, you can list the name of the herb, the date it was frozen, and the number of herbs on the surface of each bag.
Step 7. Store the plastic bag in the freezer for 1 to 2 months
Put the plastic bag containing the coriander leaves back in the freezer. Supposedly, frozen cilantro can last for 2 months in the freezer. Don't let it sit any longer so the leaves don't dry out and lose their flavor.
Do not thaw the leaves before use to prevent them from becoming soggy
Method 3 of 4: Freezing Chopped Coriander Leaves in Ice
Step 1. Clean the cilantro stalks
Place the cilantro in the hollow basket, then hold the basket over the sink. Turn on the faucet while continuing to shake the basket so that the water can run over the entire surface of the cilantro evenly. Then, turn off the faucet and let the remaining water drip to the bottom of the sink for a few minutes.
Step 2. Dry the coriander leaves with kitchen paper
Gently pat a paper towel on the surface of the cilantro to absorb the excess water. Do not rub the leaves so that there are no torn leaves!
If you wish, you can also wrap the leaves in a paper towel and gently roll them across the counter to absorb the excess water
Step 3. Chop or process the cilantro
The first method you can do is to place the coriander leaves along with the stems on a cutting board, then chop them both up with a very sharp knife. Meanwhile, the second method you can try is to put the coriander leaves in a food processor and process them until the leaves are finely chopped.
Be careful when chopping the leaves with a knife so you don't hurt your fingers
Step 4. Place 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves in each container in an ice cube mold
Remember, the process of measuring is very important to do so that later the leaves can be easier to use in recipes! Therefore, add 1 tbsp. Chop the cilantro into each of the existing containers in the ice cube mold, and continue the process until the leaves are used up.
If the entire container is filled but the cilantro isn't finished yet, use a second ice cube mold instead of adding more leaves to each container
Step 5. Fill the remaining space in each container with water
To ensure that the cilantro freezes into ice cubes, fill the remaining space in each container with water. Use a spoon or glass to slowly pour in the water until each container is full.
Do not fill the container with water flowing from the faucet. Be careful, water pressure that is too high can make the chopped leaves jump out of the container and be wasted
Step 6. Store the ice cube mold in the freezer for a maximum of 2 months
Place the ice cube mold in an area with minimal disturbance until the cilantro has completely frozen, about a few hours. Once the cilantro has turned into ice cubes, you can move the mold to a different area if necessary.
- Coriander leaves frozen in the form of ice cubes can last for a maximum of 2 months.
- If you are going to use it, remove an ice cube from the container and thaw it immediately.
Method 4 of 4: Drying Coriander Leaves
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 120°C
Dried cilantro will lose some of its natural flavor, but it will become easier to store. If you want to do this, you will first need to preheat the oven to 120°C. While waiting for the oven to heat up, prepare the coriander leaves to dry.
Step 2. Wash all the cilantro stalks to be dried to remove dust and dirt
Place the coriander leaves in a basket with holes, then wash thoroughly under running tap water. Once the cilantro is clean, turn off the tap and shake the basket to drain off any remaining water for a few minutes.
Step 3. Pat the surface of the cilantro with a paper towel to dry
Use kitchen paper to absorb any remaining water that sticks to the surface of the leaves. Make sure the cilantro is only patted, not rubbed, so that each strand doesn't tear.
If you'd like, you can also wrap the cilantro in a paper towel and roll it across the counter in a very gentle motion to drain any excess water
Step 4. Cut the leaf stems
Since this method only requires cilantro, use a very sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut the cilantro stems and discard them.
Cut the cilantro stems on a cutting board and a flat table surface so you don't hurt your fingers
Step 5. Arrange the cilantro on the baking sheet without overlapping each other
Previously, grease the surface of the baking sheet with oil so that the leaves do not stick when baking. Then, lay the cilantro in a single layer on top.
If necessary, use more than one pan to make sure the cilantro doesn't overlap and can dry completely
Step 6. Dry the cilantro in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes
Supposedly, the heat in the oven will dry out the leaves and make them last longer. While drying, make sure you always monitor the condition of the leaves. Remember, the color of the leaves must remain green, not brown or even black, indicating that the leaves have been burned. If the leaves look scorched, take them out of the oven immediately or lower the oven temperature!
Step 7. Remove the pan from the oven and cool the cilantro
Once the leaves are completely dry, remove the pan from the oven and place it on the counter for a few minutes or until the leaf cools down.
Don't forget to wear special oven gloves when removing the pan so you don't burn your skin
Step 8. Put the dried coriander leaves in an airtight container
Use a spatula to transfer the dried cilantro into the container. Do this process very carefully because dried coriander leaves are very fragile and easily fall apart. After that, you can store the container in the kitchen cupboard until it's time to use it.
Close the window and turn off the fan while doing this step. Remember, a sudden gust of wind can blow dry coriander leaves and scatter them on the floor
Step 9. Store dried cilantro for a maximum of 1 year
If stored properly, the quality of dried coriander leaves can last for 1 year or more. To maximize its shelf life, make sure you only use an airtight container and place it in a dark, dry kitchen cupboard. After picking up some cilantro, immediately return the container to the cupboard!
