How to Store Exotic Vegetables

Get produce home cold

Indore heat wilts delicate greens quickly. If you buy from the store or take a cash-on-delivery order, refrigerate leafy items, mushrooms, and herbs as soon as you can. Do not leave them in a parked car.

Item-by-item notes

These are kitchen habits, not lab rules. When a pack has a printed date or instruction, follow that first.

• Avocado — ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate once it yields to gentle pressure
• Asparagus — stand spears in a little water in the fridge, or wrap the ends in a damp cloth
• Basil — keep dry and cool; avoid sealing wet leaves in plastic
• Iceberg and Chinese cabbage — refrigerate unwashed in a bag, wash just before use
• Mushrooms — paper, not a sealed wet bag; use while still firm
• Cherry tomatoes — cool and dry; very ripe fruit can stay on the counter for a day
• Blueberries — refrigerate unwashed and rinse before eating

Buy what you will cook

Exotic produce is freshest when you plan the dish first. Check live stock, or visit Old Palasia if you want to pick bunches yourself.