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How to dry vegetables in an electric dryer and oven correctly
Drying is the most common way to prepare vegetables for the winter. How should vegetables be dried so that they do not lose their aroma and beneficial properties? The secrets of the technology are described in the article.
Preparing vegetables: general rules
There are several methods of preparing vegetables: salt, pickling, freezing, drying. The latter option allows you not only to preserve vitamins and minerals that are contained in vegetables, but also to enjoy their aroma in the middle of winter.
Patience is required to achieve this effect. This method does not forgive hustle and bustle.
The vegetables are pre-washed, most of them are blanched before drying (boiled until half cooked).
Carrots and beets are boiled until the moment when you can pierce the root vegetable with a toothpick with little effort.
Carrots, beets, cauliflower, green peas, broccoli, green beans are subject to blanching.
After that, the vegetables are cut into identical plates no thicker than 0,5 cm. In this case, the fruits will dry faster and more evenly.
Drying in vivo is troublesome.
- Place vegetables on wooden boards or trays lined with clean paper.
- Cover with cheesecloth folded in several layers. Alternatively, you can string the slices onto a string.
- Dry in a shady, ventilated place. Stir the slices periodically to dry evenly. The whole process can take up to a week.
In any case, cover the food with gauze to protect it from flies.
Before drying vegetables in an electric dryer, spread them out in an even layer. If the vegetables are small and the drying mesh is coarse, you can use a thin cloth or glossy paper to spread. Turn on the dryer and turn and straighten the vegetables every 1,5-2 hours. In total, you will need about 8 hours.
When dried in the oven or dryer, vegetables lose less vitamin C.
A low temperature is what you need to take care of before starting to dry in the oven. Preheat the oven to 80 ° C, place a baking sheet or wire rack with vegetables there. Dry a little to grab the surface, and then lower the temperature to 45 ° C. The whole process can take up to 5-6 hours.
If there is a convection (blowing) function, vegetables will dry faster.
In the microwave, place vegetables between several layers of wet cloth. This will prevent drying out. Set a low power (200 W), it is better to determine the time experimentally. First, set it for 5 minutes, and then act on the condition of the raw materials.
Drying vegetables correctly is a simple process if you follow these simple rules.
In the next article: How to dry mint