Arugula is not as well known in Russia and is widespread as parsley, dill, and cilantro. Many housewives are still reluctant to use it in the kitchen. But connoisseurs of proper and healthy nutrition regularly include arugula in their daily diet, knowing that its greens are healing and nutritious no less than other plants we are used to.
What is arugula
Arugula is an annual plant that belongs to the cabbage family. It grows on different continents: Africa, North America, Asia, Europe. In Russia, it is found in the European part, especially in Dagestan and the foothills of the Caucasus. Arugula is most popular in Italy.
Arugula has many names. It is called arugula, indau, eruka, walker, caterpillar, roshen salad. The plant is 25 to 60 cm high. The leaves are dark green, juicy, elongated lyre-shaped or dissected, with jagged edges.
The taste and aroma of the leaves are quite specific, something between horseradish, mustard, nuts and pepper. Meanwhile, in the world's top restaurants, arugula is highly valued and served with very expensive dishes.
It's easy to grow arugula greens in your garden. The plant is unpretentious and fast-growing. Many people successfully grow arugula salad on the windowsill even in winter.
Calorie content, usefulness of arugula
Arugula belongs to low-calorie foods. 100 grams of raw greens contains only 25 kcal, while carbohydrates - 2 g, proteins - 2.5 g, fats - 0.7 g. The use of such a product is useful for overweight people. As in any greenery, it contains a whole storehouse of minerals, vitamins, and biologically active substances necessary for a full-fledged human life.
Among the minerals in arugula, there is a lot of iron, calcium, manganese, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, and also in large quantities there are such important elements as iodine, selenium. Arugula is useful for people prone to anemia and weak immunity. A high content of B vitamins, potassium, magnesium is necessary to maintain the functioning of the heart and nervous system, which makes this vegetable essential on the table. The value of arugula - regular consumption protects the body from viruses, bacteria, radiation.
Arugula leaves are a source of biological chlorophyll, which removes carcinogenic compounds from the liver. Vitamin K and vitamin A make eating arugula a must for your daily diet.
What products is arugula combined with?
The versatility of arugula is amazing. It is used to decorate and complement salads from any products, sandwiches. It enriches and brings its own flavor to meat, fish, vegetable dishes, stewed vegetables, soups. Arugula is added to sauces, pasta, pizza, cheese, cottage cheese, eggs. The use of arugula with tomatoes, seafood, salted red fish, cheese is considered one of the most successful in cooking. Lettuce leaves bring originality to products such as fresh cucumbers, fruit platter of oranges, avocados, pomegranates, apples, pears, table grapes.
Even ordinary beets with the addition of arugula are incredibly tasty and healthy. Liver, chicken, shrimp - for these products, arugula will be an excellent neighbor in dishes.
It is important to maintain the correct proportions and not overuse this spicy herb, so as not to spoil the culinary masterpieces. When preparing meals, it is better to use fresh arugula in order to preserve all biologically active substances and vitamins. It can also be added to hot dishes, but only at the end of cooking.
How to choose arugula in the store
Lettuce leaves are available in supermarkets throughout the year. When choosing quality arugula, they pay attention to the freshness of the leaves. If there are brown spots on the leaves, it is better to refuse such a product. This means that the arugula is "overexposed" and the process of decay has begun.
When choosing a salad, you should give preference to small leaves. Larger leaves will have more oxalic acid, which will reduce their health benefits.
At home, the leaves are washed under cool water, the greens are dried from excess moisture and the greens are ready for use.
Arugula leaves are rich in oils and aromatic substances, so it is chopped with your hands, and not with a knife.
The original specific taste of bitterness can be softened by a simple classic culinary trick. It is necessary to season arugula with a mixture of olive oil (vegetable) and balsamic vinegar. Instead of balsamic, apple cider, berry vinegar or juice of lemon, orange, grapefruit are used.
Arugula Cooking: Simple Homemade Recipes
Products: boiled or baked small beets, medium onion of red onions, 50 g of Adyghe cheese, a bunch of arugula. To pour, mix 1 tbsp. a spoonful of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, salt, black pepper and sugar to taste.
Cut the beets and cheese into large pieces of 2.5-3 cm. Wash the arugula and dry on a paper towel. Cut the peeled onion into rings and pour the sauce of mixed oil, lemon, pepper, add salt and sugar to taste and let the sauce brew for 10-15 minutes. Put slices of beets, cheese, onions on a dish, pour with half of the sauce. Then we tear the arugula leaves with our hands and put on top of the beets and cheese, pour the remaining sauce over the dish. If desired, add nuts or slices of fried white bread to the salad.
The basis of sandwiches is bread, a loaf, which is always at hand in the house. Even a child can make a sandwich. These are the lightest and simplest culinary fantasies, where the benefits and time savings are combined.
On slices about 1 cm thick, spread thinly with butter and garnish with various products that you have at home. Boiled eggs, pieces of salted herring, smoked fish, boiled meat, sausage, liver pate, canned fish, cheese are good. From vegetables, fresh cucumber, tomato, beetroot, onion are suitable. Arugula is added to each sandwich or garnished with it on top.
