Crunchy munchy celery

It all started with using a celery stick to stir Bloody Mary in the 1960s when at Chicago's Ambassador East Hotel, a celebrity got a Bloody Mary, but no swizzle stick. So he grabbed a stalk of celery from the relish tray to stir it and history was made.

Origins of celery

A native of Mediterranean, celery and was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans as a flavouring. Apparently the ancient Chinese used it as a medicine.

And now with the sweltering summer months squeezing out every ounce of energy, there is this wonder stick which can bring relief to us. I will tell you some more nice things about celery.

What is celery

Celery is not a vegetable but is more of a herb. And it is not boring like some other summer vegetables. On the contrary a little bit celery can create magic. But remember to use just a little bit, because its flavour is quite strong so a bit too much can be overpowering. And yes you can use it in Indian cooking too to give it a wonder cleansing flavour.

And it would be good to remember that celery is low in calorie but you cannot make it the mainstay of your diet. But you can definitely treat it like a snack food if you wish to increase the bulk and fibre.

It has medicinal properties too

And there are some more things that celery can do to improve your health. They are rich in Vitamin C, they can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, reduce high blood pressure. It also contains amino acids, calcium, essential fatty acids, folate, iron and some other minerals. It also contains Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, E and K...in short it can promote good health.

It is also good for people suffering from arthritis, rheumatism and gout especially because it has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce swelling and pain around the joints. They also act as diuretic which help to remove uric acid crystals that deposit around joints. Let me add that celery leaves are good for treating diabetic patients.

A word of caution though since celery seeds contain volatile oils, flavonoids, coumarins and linoleic acid, they are not good for pregnant women because they may cause contractions in the uterus.

What it can do to food

Celery lends its flavour fantastically well with quite a lot of foods like potatoes, poultry, vegetables, nuts, fruits like apple and banana. It can also be used as crudités with dips. Try it with peanut butter, and you will thank me for giving you this idea. At home, during parties, I always serve it with hummus or baba ghanoush and the guests simply love it.

Buying and storing celery

Buy celery that has firm tight bunches with healthy leaves. Pack them into zip lock bag and store them in the crisper section of the refrigerator. It will keep them fresh for at least two weeks. In case it wilts, soak it in a bowl of iced water for a few minutes before use. It will become crunchy again.

Recommended recipes-

Mushroom,  Celery And Garlic Soup