We have seen micro greens adorn Michelin-star and Masterchef dishes. Celebrity chefs place them delicately with tweezers on top of award-winning plates of food. They are also frequently seen as garnishes in the drool-worthy pictures of food magazines. But there is more to them than just their vibrant colour and delicate composition.
What are micro greens? Are they different from sprouts? These are some common queries surrounding this intriguing food ingredient. Yes, micro greens are different. Unlike sprouts, the seeds are planted in a solid growing medium. Once the seeds of these dicotyledons germinate, they produce two seed leaves, also called cotyledons. These are not true leaves. In the next stage, true leaves — which can synthesise sunlight for the plant’s growth — are formed. Only those young plants that have produced at least two true leaves are called micro greens. The shoots of these young plants are harvested as micro greens along with the true leaves. Many plant varieties will grow again and produce consecutive harvests.
These micro greens taste very much like their parent varieties, but the flavour is fresh and subtle. They are visually very appealing as well with their vibrant colours. The micro greens are also very high in nutritional value. They promote good health and are known to contain disease-preventing properties.
Neatly packaged micro greens are sold in super markets these days. They can also be grown in kitchens with very little effort and investment. Soaked seeds can be planted in soil in shallow containers and placed on window sills and balconies. Avoid placing them in direct sunlight. Spray bottles can be used for watering but avoid excess watering. They are ready for harvest in 2-3 weeks. It is best to eat them raw in order to reap the full benefits. The body will easily digest the micro greens in their raw form.
They can be used as garnishes for not only savoury dishes but for desserts as well. Micro greens can be seamlessly integrated into existing recipes with a little creativity. A mix of micro greens can be tossed with vinaigrette to make a tasty salad. They can be used in burgers and sandwiches as the leafy component instead of lettuce or served on omelettes or blended into smoothies at breakfast time.
In the Indian context, they can be added to dals and curries at the end to keep their nutrition intact. Micro greens as garnish on raitas make them look colourful and inviting. A generous sprinkle of beetroot micro greens on a salad, a tuft of mustard micro greens in an egg sandwich or a bunch of onion micro greens on an omelette are some of the simple ways to incorporate them into our daily meals. Organic quality seeds are the ideal to sow. Read the packaging and ensure that the seeds have not been treated with any chemicals.
Some plant varieties that are suitable for growing micro greens are lettuce, watercress, coriander, fenugreek, onion, radish, beetroot, mustard, sunflower, peas, millet, broccoli, spinach, kale, rocket and flax.
Look for food-grade or edible seeds to start your micro green garden. As these plants are harvested at a very early stage in their growth process, there may still be chemical residues when treated seeds are used. Give your green thumb a try in the kitchen or just pick up packaged micro greens from the stores.
