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Spinach is one of the most nutritious kinds of greens with many essential nutrients, like iron, vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. It can be used to make saag, sabzi, paratha, raita, kadhi, sandwiches, or even salads. Though it has a slightly bitter taste, it can be overlooked because spinach improves overall well-being.
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Though available throughout the year in India, the best quality spinach is available in the winter season and spring. In the summer season, the shelf life of the green vegetable is anyways short. Therefore, you need a few tips to help you preserve the vegetable for a year at least. The article mentions a few hacks using which you will always have fresh spinach in your refrigerator.
Blanching
Blanch is one of the best techniques to preserve a large amount of spinach in your refrigerator. No matter how much you want to save, blanching will reduce its amount to almost 1/4th of the original quantity. In just 2-3 minutes, spinach will be ready to be transferred to a bowl filled with ice and water. After draining and squeezing, pat dry it and store the spinach in the refrigerator in an airtight container or a ziplock bag.
Flash Freezing
In flash freezing, you will need to blanch the greens first. After blanching and an ice bath, spread leaves in a single layer on a baking tray. Freeze the contents for at least 4-5 hours in the freezer. Once the greens turn into solids, transfer them to a container and store them for as long as you want in the refrigerator.
Vacuum Sealing
Once you have added the spinach to a ziplock bag, use a vacuum sealer. It will help to remove the excess air from the bag and keep it tight. This will increase the shelf life of the green leaves. Since this method prevents the build-up of moisture and ruining of leaves, it is a necessary hack to keep in mind. If you forget this step, your spinach will likely go bad quite soon.
Avoid Refreezing
Unlike meat and other edible contents that you can freeze, spinach works differently. You can refreeze a thawed chicken, but the same is not the case with frozen spinach. Once defrosted, you must cook these within a day or two, or the green will go bad. Hence, when you are planning to use frozen spinach, defrost the amount you need to prepare the dish. If you refreeze thawed spinach, it will not work as effectively as it did before.
Regulate Temperature
When freezing spinach, you need to be utterly careful about the temperature of the freezer. If you can manage the freezer at -18°C or below, only then you must decide to freeze the greens. Blanched or not, greens react quickly with moisture, which can ruin a whole batch within a day. Therefore, you must keep the freezer at the lowest temperature setting and avoid freezing if you experience power fluctuations at home.
Store In A Dark Place
Even in the refrigerator, you must store the spinach in a dark space. If it is constantly exposed to light, the greens can lose their colour and nutrients, which is one of the reasons why spinach does not survive in the refrigerator for more than 4-5 days in summer. If you store a blanched batch at the back of the freezer, it will help to increase the shelf life of the green vegetable.
Line The Container
While storing the spinach, you can use paper towels to line the container. It will prevent the greens from directly coming in contact with the moisture, in case it builds up. It will also shield it from any light that may penetrate the container. Also, you must keep checking every batch frequently to make sure leaves have not started to go bad. If so, cook them and freeze a fresh batch.
