How To Clean Asparagus?

Before you jump to the very exciting recipe you just saw on TV, you need to clean the asparagus up thoroughly. Sand and dust particles get trapped in the scales and are difficult to brush out under the tap. Cleaning asparagus is not exactly the same as cleaning other vegetables. You have to take care of the vitamins and minerals to stay within the vegetable and not flow out. Also, it is a little difficult to get the stubborn sand particles stuck under the scales out of your way to a yummy dinner.
The Dos and Donts
One thing: do not immerse the asparagus in water for a long time expecting the particles to flow out. Water would dissolve many of the minerals and you clearly do not want that.
A very simple and efficient way is to remove the scales.
Hold the two ends and bend slightly. This would mark the natural pivot point and the stalk would break.
As the stalk breaks off you repeat the process and set all the broken stalks aside. These can be used later in soups.
Once this has been done, turn it upside down and brush the tips of the stalks to clean them.
In a bowl fill some water and rinse asparagus inside the bowl. Instead of pouring the water out, lift the asparagus up.
For some strange, not so understandable reasons people say lifting up is a much better way than letting the water run out.
Alternatively, hold the asparagus under running water and let the flowing water carry the dust particles along with it.
Under the water rub the asparagus together but do not be too rough.
Once you are done rinsing, allow the asparagus to dry, this can be best done by holding it between paper towels and let the water be absorbed.
To clean asparagus with thick spears you would have to slice the ends off. If the spears are too thin, you would not even need to peel them off.Whether or not you need to leave the spears on depends primarily on the recipe. Make sure you follow the recipe which you intend to follow! To cook asparagus right, cleaning it correctly is the most important tip. So make sure you are cleaning the asparagus carefully and gently without losing all the nutrition in it. Hope you enjoy the cooking and cleaning!