Greens play a major role in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. A balanced diet demands a cup of freshly cooked greens, from which we derive the necessary vitamins. However, most of the benefits from greens are lost due to being cooked improperly. Sadly, many people are unaware of this.
We see that many are in the habit of chopping and then washing the greens in a bowl of water. This method saves a lot of time and effort, no doubt, but at the cost of losing the essential vitamins the greens offer us. In addition, greens are cooked in plenty of water, much of which is later discarded. In all these methods, most of the nutrients are lost in the process and we do not derive any benefits. Let’s look at the right way to cook your greens:
Firstly, pick fresh greens. Then separate them at the tender part of the stalk. Though this takes some time, we should employ this method as not only the leaves, but their tender stalks too contain the flavour and many essential vitamins.
Next, take care to inspect the leaves. Many pests and moths lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. Some have holes on them. These are indications of pests already feasting on them. Discard such leaves. Else, there is danger of falling prey to stomach ailments.
Now wash the greens in a large bowl of water two to three times, and each time, drain out in a colander. Sprinkle a little salt in the last rinse of the wash. This will remove hidden worms and bugs that escape our eyes.
Chop the leaves roughly and not too fine, as shredding too leads to loss of vitamins. Wherever possible, avoid grinding them.
Instead of discarding the water during blanching, use it in soups or for kneading chapati dough.
Cook greens in the simplest way and in minimum time to keep their nutrients locked.
