How to store and keep Coriander leaves fresh for a month, and how to store onions ?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

maria

Cook
Joined
Aug 16, 2007
Messages
50
How to store and keep Coriander leaves, Sandwich bread and Onions fresh for a month?

My hubby yesterday brought LOTS of coriander/cilantro leaves, 3 bunches; LOTS of Onions; How do i store it? I browsed the net for a long time, and all i came to know was that, wrap the coriander/cilantro leaves in a paper towel and keep it in the fridge, and this will keep them fresh. They were fresh only for 1 week, but i cannot use the whole 2 bunches in a week time, so i want a tip so that i can store the coriander/cilantro leaves for a REALLY LONG TIME, maybe for a month ! Any tips with anyone? Do lemme know. I'll be glad. And.. How to store Onions for a long time, so that they do not spoil, or start sprouting..
And also how to store keep Sandwich bread fresh for a month time?
 
Last edited:
Well, maria, you could put the coriander on a cookie sheet or tray and put it in the freezer until completely frozen and then put into a plastic bag or freezer container.

As for the onions, store them in a cool, dry place. I store mine in a mesh hanging basket in my kitchen. They last for weeks this way. Or you could use some clean, old pantyhose legs and put the onions in there. Put an onion in, tie a knot, put another onion in, tie another knot...until all the onions are stored in the legs of the pantyhose and separated by a knot. Hang them in a cool, dry place When you use one, just cut below the knot of the bottom onion and keep going.

For the sandwich bread. Divide the loaf in half. Freeze half and use the other half, stored in the refrigerator. You should be able to get a month out of it this way.
 
Freezing the coriander leaves on a cookie sheet is a very idea of storing coriander leaves. Thanks a lot.

Should the onions be kept in a dark place too other than cool and dry place?

The sandwich bread i bought from the market is sliced into pieces, and if i freeze a half in the freezer and use the other half stored in the refridgerator... When i want to use the freezed half after the other half is finished, how do i thaw it? Should i keep it in the refridgetaror and use it as i did with the first half?
 
You don't have to worry about storing the onions in a dark place, maria. Just don't store them in direct sunlight.

To thaw the sandwich bread, do it in the refrigerator. It will be better that way.

Bear in mind that the coriander won't be as good as fresh but, at least, you won't waste it.
 
Maria...You may also try this. Cut the stems of the Cilantro at an angle and place them in a jar of water and sit it in the refrigerator. Every couple of days re-trim the stems, and change the water. This will extend the life of the Cilantro. Probably not 30 days, but long enough for you to use it.
 
I've always had a problem of storing fresh coriander for a couple of days. Here's my trick: I buy coriander with the roots attached. Store them in a jar of water away from sunlight and it should last for at least two weeks.
 
I've always had a problem of storing fresh coriander for a couple of days. Here's my trick: I buy coriander with the roots attached. Store them in a jar of water away from sunlight and it should last for at least two weeks.

I have never seen coriander with the roots attached! You are LUCKY to be able to buy them that way.

I place a moist paper towel in a plastic bag, then place the coriander in it - they last for a bit more than a week, but not much.
 
After you wrap the herbs in your paper towels and put them in the plastic
bag, poke a bunch of holes in the plastic bag. That seems to extend the
life of the herbs somewhat.
 
You can just freeze the cilantro in a freezer bag without the cookie sheet, too.

Or do what I do:
1. chop up the whole mess of cilantro in your food processor
2. Put it in a gallon ziplock freezer bag
3. Smoosh it down until it is a uniformly shaped rectangle -- about 1/2 inch thick or so, 4 inches by 6 inches. You can make 2 of these in one bag.
4. Then I freeze it on something flat to maintain the shape.
5. Whenever you need cilantro, just break off however much you need.
 
A loaf of bread should keep for a month on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. Or, you could break it down into 2 or 4 slice bundles, put them into sandwich bags, and freeze them. Bread will go from frozen to room temperature (68F to 78F) in about 3 hours.

When I first moved to California, I had a roommate who kept stealing my bread to make lunches for her kid, so on the week-end I'd make up a bunch of sandwiches, sans the mayonaise and veggies, and freeze them. Every morning I would take out a sandwich, put on some mayo, lettuce and tomato, throw it into a lunch bag along with fruit, snack cake, or whatever, and haul it off to work. By lunch time, the sandwich would be completely thawed and ready to eat.

Oh, and no, I NEVER GOT SICK FROM EATING SANDWICHES THAWED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE!
 
The miracle solution for long-term cilantro storage is this:

1) cut the stems
2) fill a tall container with 1-2 inches of water
3) stand the cilantro up
4) put the whole thing in a large sized flexible plastic bag (no holes)
5) blow it up (not with explosives); blow it up with air from your lungs. This adds CO2. Cilantro **needs** it.
6) Store the contraption in the refrigerator, away from the freezer compartment.

Cilantro will last for one month or more!

My best recommendation for green onions and just about all other fresh vegetables is to invest in airtight containers. What you do is line the bottom with two layers of paper towels, wash all items and just shake them off (you want a little liquid). Place them in the container loosely so air can circulate. Leave both vents open. AMAZING RESULTS! One or more months for most items; including: lettuce, green onions, red/green peppers, carrots, radishes, cabbage, parsley.

I've found that two things are very important: 1) an airtight seal and 2) the vents that provide what seems to be the exact right amount of air.
Hope this helps!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top Bottom