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Taste and nutrition in a small package
Microgreens are inch-long leaves and shoots that are harvested when plants are in the early stages of growth. Adding to the taste and presentation of a dish, these tiny condiments are becoming popular among consumers in the city.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
If you’ve been to a fine-dining restaurant and noticed tiny leaves in vibrant greens, pinks or purples adorning your plate, or if you’ve drooled over dishes while watching MasterChef Australia, you’ll know that microgreens form an integral part of plating and presentation. However, adding these fresh, crunchy leaves need not be restricted only to a restaurant, say experts who grow or source them — they can be grown at home and included with everyday meals.
N Vidhyadharan of Three Bags was one of the pioneers to grow microgreens in Chennai. He got the idea for this business from YouTube videos, he says. “Microgreens are one step above the level of sprouts. In the cotyledon stage when just a couple of leaves appear, the plants are harvested and used in culinary art,” he explains. If more than five leaves appear, the plant is considered matured and the taste will differ so the leaves need to be harvested in the early stages.
The farmer, who cultivates microgreens on about 600 sq. ft. of land he owns, adds, “I was initially into organic farming but wasn’t successful. I wanted to try something else that resulted in immediate profits and would be innovative. Hence, my first microgreen cultivation project began in 2014 but I couldn’t continue for more than a year because no one was placing orders. Of late, many restaurants in Chennai have cropped up that demand microgreens so I resumed again in October 2018.”
The popular varieties of microgreens are sunflower, radish, amaranthus, pea shoot, mustard and beetroot. The time between planting and harvesting each variety differs between eight days to a month. Aditi Vasu is the proprietor of Green Goblin, a company that source these leaves from farms in Maharashtra. “The greens are completely free of pesticides and fertilisers and grown in reverse osmosis-treated water. This makes consuming microgreens safe and they can be refrigerated without washing or chopping. They can directly be added on top of any dish like omlettes or salads,” she shares.
In fact, this is one of the vital reasons why she began this business. “My main clientele includes people who are well-travelled or have returned after living abroad and are missing these salad components, which are taken for granted there. When my family and I returned to India, my daughters were missing their salad. These crunchy and fresh microgreens keep things interesting and condiments like fennel, night celery, rocket shoots and baby spinach are staples at home,” she says.
How Microgreens Differ From ‘Keerai’
Goodseeds, a community that promotes sustainable living and organic products, explains the difference between microgreens and other varieties:
- Many of these greens have been consumed for generations but the main difference is that while microgreens can be consumed raw, varieties of keerai need to be cooked.
- The flavour and texture also differs — the taste of microgreens is typically more intense than the mature plant; it is more concentrated and pungent.
- These baby plants contain 40 fold more concentration of nutrients than the adult plant, for example, cabbage, broccoli and rocket microgreens are excellent sources of magnesium, potassium and vitamins. Knol kohl microgreens are rich in iron.
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