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How to dry eggplant for the winter at home
Not every freezer allows you to prepare enough vegetables for the winter so that they retain their beneficial properties. At the same time, traditional preservation, although tasty, does not at all guarantee such benefits and taste. Drying is a great alternative to freezing vegetables. Therefore, it is worth figuring out how to dry eggplants at home on your own and provide yourself and your family with an excellent treat.
How to dry eggplant for the winter: basic principles and drying time
As a raw material, you should choose medium-sized, ripe fruits with small seeds. The varieties “Helios”, “Almaz”, “Czech Early”, “Black Beauty” are very convenient thanks to their tender pulp and a small amount of seeds.
Peeling vegetables before drying is mandatory, and it is advisable to cut the skin as thin as possible, using a special knife for peeling vegetables: this will preserve the greatest amount of nutrients. As for the cutting option, it all depends on the further purpose of the product – for soups, stews, caviar, it is better to choose cutting into cubes or strips, for frying and casseroles – in circles.
How to dry eggplants at home: choosing a variety of vegetables
You can dry vegetables:
- on open air. The product is placed in the shade, with the possibility of airing, the process lasts several days depending on the weather;
- in the oven – at a temperature of 50-80 degrees, until the pieces are completely dry;
- in an electric dryer – the best way from the point of view of labor costs.
In all versions, except for the dryer, turn the slices or pieces to dry the eggplants more evenly.
How to dry eggplants: and then how to restore them for cooking?
Having figured out how to dry eggplants, let’s think about preparing them for the first or second courses. In order for the dried vegetables to give the maximum taste, they must be soaked in warm water for 30-40 minutes before preparing the planned recipe. Further, the recipe does not differ from frying, stewing or baking fresh eggplants.
If the already dried vegetables are ground into flour, the cooking process will be simplified: the powder is added at the stage of laying potatoes or cereals; cutting, soaking and other procedures are not required. Adjustments may only be required for the amount of fluid; it should be noted that the dried product absorbs moisture during the swelling process.
Dried eggplant for healing and beauty
Nutritionists and doctors recommend daily use of eggplants in any form, giving preference to minimal heat treatment. In this regard, dried vegetables in the form of flour are especially convenient: it is enough to eat only one spoonful of the product a day, this way of eating is suitable even for those who do not like the taste of “blue” ones. The presence in food of dishes made from dried vegetables or they themselves in their pure form will reduce the risk of hypertension, urolithiasis, problems with the cardiovascular system, and make it easier for smokers to quit smoking.