There are only a few things that can force us to step out of the house these days. You see, Delhi is battling with one of the worst heatwaves in recent times. With temperatures nearing 45-50 degree C, it is only wise to spend most of the time indoors. Yet, when my mother requested me to get some pudina from a nearby market, I sprinted. Mint is inarguably my favourite summertime herb. The fresh and zingy herb can give any dish a facelift, be it raita or biryani. Mint also known as Pudina in India, is used in a myriad beverages as well, such as Jaljeera and Chaas. In addition to infusing freshness in our drinks and dishes, mint is also replete with many health benefits. It aids digestion, alleviates headache and nausea, manages cough and cold with its anti-inflammatory properties, and its antioxidants are incredible for the general immune system of our body.
There’s just one problem with mint leaves, they are known to lose their freshness soon, especially if they have been exposed to air for too long. They will gradually lose the scent and freshness you adore them for. If only there was a way to retain its freshness. Apparently, there is a rather easy way to do that as demonstrated by Slurrp community member and home chef Alison.
Skip running to the store to buy pudina, buy a bunch and store it in your fridge for more than a month. We promise it will taste the same and just as fresh each time you take it out to make your raita, chutney, aam Panna and even mojitos!
For this simple hack, you will need:
- Bunch of fresh Mint/Pudina leaves
- Clean cloth
- Big Bowl of water
- Airtight Container
- Two Paper Napkins
Storing Mint Leaves | Here’s what you need to do:
- First of all take a nice, big bunch of mint leaves and start pulling out the leaves from the stalk. Discard the ones that are yellow or dry.
- Collect all the leaves in a bowl. Wash the leaves in the same bowl, and make sure you wash them well as they can have some insects or pests sticking on to them.
- Gently squeeze the water out of the leaves and spread it onto a dry cloth.
- Pat the leaves dry and then let them dry nicely. This should take about 15-20 minutes maximum.
- Now take a paper napkin and spread it on an air-tight container. Add the mint leaves, place another paper napkin on top. This is very important to lock the moisture.
- Then finally seal the airtight container and keep the leaves in your fridge for up to a month.
Follow the very simple steps in the video & store pudina for upto a month. Let us know how you liked the hack.
