How to choose tender celery

Selecting tender celery mainly observes stem hardness, leaf condition, root incision, and odor. Fresh celery stems are crisp and tender, easy to break, leaves are full without yellow spots, roots are moist without dryness, and the aroma is fragrant without acid decay.

1. Stem Hardness

The stems of high-quality tender celery should be in an upright state, with a crisp sound of breakage when gently folded by hand. The cross-section should show full fiber bundles and a small amount of juice oozing out. The aged celery stems have coarse and hard fibers, which are not easily broken when bent and have a dry cross-section. It is recommended to choose celery with a diameter of less than 1 centimeter, as thicker stem varieties often have more developed fibers.

II. Leaf Status

The leaves of fresh celery are bright green and have a flexible texture, with a flat surface and no wrinkles or brown spots. If the leaves turn yellow, curled or have water stains, they may have been stored for too long or improperly. Note that the connection between the petiole and stem should be tight and not loose. Celery with more fallen leaves has poor freshness.

III. Root incision

Observe the cross-section of celery roots. Fresh incisions should be moist and slightly moist, with a white or light green color. If the incision turns yellow or brown, becomes dry and silky, or appears hollow, it indicates that the picking time is relatively long. Celery with roots can be used to check the condition of the fibrous roots. White, flexible roots are fresher than withered, black, brittle, and hard ones.

4. Odor Identification

Tender celery has a unique fragrant aroma, and there is no moldy or fermented sour taste when smelled near the roots. Some vendors will cover up the odor by soaking it in water, and can peel off the stem skin to smell the internal odor. Celery treated with chemical agents may have a pungent odor, and it is recommended to choose organic grown products.

Fifth, Seasonal Selection

Celery grown in late spring and early summer has the most tender taste, while the stems grown in greenhouses in winter are thicker and harder. When purchasing, pay attention to the glossiness of the stem skin. Products with white frost on the surface are natural growth products, and excessive brightness may be treated with bleaching. Celery packaged in vacuum pre cooling has good freshness, but it is necessary to check whether there is condensation of water vapor inside the packaging.

When storing celery in daily life, you can keep the roots soaked in water or wrap them in wet tissues for refrigeration. Cutting the stem into four sections before cooking can better determine the freshness of the interior. For cold dishes, it is recommended to choose the tip of the tender stem, while for stewing, the middle stem can be chosen. Celery leaves have higher nutritional value than stems and can be made into vegetable puree or soup to avoid consuming high oxalate foods that can affect calcium absorption. Special populations such as those with renal insufficiency need to control their intake.