Chef Khanh Ong shares tips to keep your herbs and vegetables fresh for two weeks
- Replies 3
In the culinary world, there's nothing more disheartening than reaching into the fridge only to find your fresh herbs wilted and your vibrant vegetables shrivelled.
It's a common scenario that wastes food and also your hard-earned money.
But fear not, as Aussie celebrity chef Khanh Ong has shared his ingenious tips to keep your herbs and green vegetables fresh for up to two weeks!
The secret to prolonging the life of your produce, according to Ong, lies in understanding their individual humidity needs.
Some vegetables and herbs require more moisture, and storing them correctly in the fridge can significantly extend their freshness.
'With the cost of living just being rude, I wanted to show you how I store my vegetables so I can make them last longer so they don’t go to waste,' Ong said.
'I do these shops every week to 10 days and usually, this would be more than enough vegetables to feed me and also any guests that come around.'
When it comes to herbs, Ong recommended a quick rinse under water, removing any unnecessary stems, wrapping them in a paper towel, and storing them in an airtight container.
'You don’t have to dry these herbs because you want it to be a little bit moist,' the chef explained.
'I would roll up my herbs with a paper towel and then put it into a little container. And then I would just layer more and more herbs on top.'
For herbs like coriander, Ong suggested splitting up the bunch and wrapping them in paper towels in smaller portions. This makes it easier to grab what you need without disturbing the rest of the bunch.
When it comes to vegetables, Ong's approach varies.
For spring onions, he slices off the roots and separates the white part from the green portion, wrapping each part separately in a damp paper towel.
'Sometimes the recipe calls for the “white part of spring onion” so I use the bottom half as “white”,' he said. 'I use the top part for garnishes.'
Green beans, on the other hand, prefer a drier environment, and Ong stores them unwashed in an upright container without a lid.
'Now not all produce enjoys being wet, green beans don’t,' he said.
'I put them straight into a little container, standing up. When I’m ready to eat them, then I wash them and cut off the top and tail. I store them in a container without a cover on top.'
'You’ll probably get seven to 10 days out of them.'
On the other hand, asparagus and broccolini are stored in an upright container with a little water at the bottom, covered loosely with a bag to maintain airflow while keeping them crisp.
For unwashed snow peas, caulini, or cauliflower, Ong recommends storing them together in a container with a loose lid to allow air circulation.
'I leave them in a container and I just put a loose lid on it, but I don’t really close the lid—I just let it (stay open) so the air can still get in there.'
Asian greens like choy sum, bok choy, and pak choi are rolled in a dry paper towel and stored in a plastic bag.
For strawberries, Ong suggested a unique method.
He recommended washing them in water with a little lemon juice and vinegar and then storing them in an airtight glass jar.
'If you leave them to soak for like 15 minutes so much comes out of them—it’s scary,' Ong claimed.
You can watch his full video below:
Video source: Instagram/@khanhong.
The chef’s video has been viewed more than 70,000 times, with many viewers expressing their gratitude for his practical tips.
'Wow, this is a really great video. I need more advice like this. Putting my strawberries in an airtight jar has been life-changing,' one commented.
While another added: 'Thank you so much! You’re so knowledgeable.'
'Those upright containers are genius!' a third added.
What do you think of these storage tips? Do you have other tips on how to keep your herbs and vegetables fresh? Let us know in the comments below!
It's a common scenario that wastes food and also your hard-earned money.
But fear not, as Aussie celebrity chef Khanh Ong has shared his ingenious tips to keep your herbs and green vegetables fresh for up to two weeks!
The secret to prolonging the life of your produce, according to Ong, lies in understanding their individual humidity needs.
Some vegetables and herbs require more moisture, and storing them correctly in the fridge can significantly extend their freshness.
Aussie chef Khanh Ong shared his tips on how to keeps herbs and vegetables fresh. Image source: Freepik.
'With the cost of living just being rude, I wanted to show you how I store my vegetables so I can make them last longer so they don’t go to waste,' Ong said.
'I do these shops every week to 10 days and usually, this would be more than enough vegetables to feed me and also any guests that come around.'
When it comes to herbs, Ong recommended a quick rinse under water, removing any unnecessary stems, wrapping them in a paper towel, and storing them in an airtight container.
'You don’t have to dry these herbs because you want it to be a little bit moist,' the chef explained.
'I would roll up my herbs with a paper towel and then put it into a little container. And then I would just layer more and more herbs on top.'
For herbs like coriander, Ong suggested splitting up the bunch and wrapping them in paper towels in smaller portions. This makes it easier to grab what you need without disturbing the rest of the bunch.
When it comes to vegetables, Ong's approach varies.
For spring onions, he slices off the roots and separates the white part from the green portion, wrapping each part separately in a damp paper towel.
Chef Ong’s approach to storing vegetables varies. Image source: Instagram/@khanhong.
'Sometimes the recipe calls for the “white part of spring onion” so I use the bottom half as “white”,' he said. 'I use the top part for garnishes.'
Green beans, on the other hand, prefer a drier environment, and Ong stores them unwashed in an upright container without a lid.
'Now not all produce enjoys being wet, green beans don’t,' he said.
'I put them straight into a little container, standing up. When I’m ready to eat them, then I wash them and cut off the top and tail. I store them in a container without a cover on top.'
'You’ll probably get seven to 10 days out of them.'
On the other hand, asparagus and broccolini are stored in an upright container with a little water at the bottom, covered loosely with a bag to maintain airflow while keeping them crisp.
For unwashed snow peas, caulini, or cauliflower, Ong recommends storing them together in a container with a loose lid to allow air circulation.
'I leave them in a container and I just put a loose lid on it, but I don’t really close the lid—I just let it (stay open) so the air can still get in there.'
Asian greens like choy sum, bok choy, and pak choi are rolled in a dry paper towel and stored in a plastic bag.
For strawberries, Ong suggested a unique method.
He recommended washing them in water with a little lemon juice and vinegar and then storing them in an airtight glass jar.
'If you leave them to soak for like 15 minutes so much comes out of them—it’s scary,' Ong claimed.
You can watch his full video below:
Video source: Instagram/@khanhong.
The chef’s video has been viewed more than 70,000 times, with many viewers expressing their gratitude for his practical tips.
'Wow, this is a really great video. I need more advice like this. Putting my strawberries in an airtight jar has been life-changing,' one commented.
While another added: 'Thank you so much! You’re so knowledgeable.'
'Those upright containers are genius!' a third added.
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