How to prepare dried zucchini
Zucchini is a healthy and tasty dietary product that you want to prepare for the winter. Fully ripe fresh fruits can be stored for several months, but their taste leaves much to be desired. Dried zucchini, which can be stored for a very long time, are a good alternative.
How to prepare dried zucchini
Training
For drying, it is better to use young zucchini, the size of which does not exceed 20 cm.
Such fruits have the greatest number of microelements and vitamins, their peel is much thinner, and the pulp is more tender.
Choose vegetables with intact, intact skins: no rot, dry spots, or signs of any disease.
Attention! If you buy zucchini from the market, do not use peeled, with a dried tail and glossy skin.
First, you need to rinse the vegetables thoroughly. If you take young fruits, you can not peel them of seeds and peels, but only cut off the stalk. From ripe specimens, you need to remove the rough skin and select seeds. Then the vegetables are cut in any convenient way for storage: rings, "ribbons" lengthwise, small cubes, etc.
Peeled and chopped fruits can be dried immediately or pre-boiled (boiling will help to partially get rid of nitrates, but also reduce the amount of vitamins).
Drying options
There are three most popular drying options: direct air drying, in the oven, and in a dryer.
- The first method does not require any equipment, as well as the consumption of gas and electricity, but it is more time-consuming and you have to tinker with it.
- In the oven, vegetables are dried up to 7 hours and they also cannot be left to themselves - they will have to be turned over.
- An electric dryer is a fast and optimal option, but only for those who have it in stock.
On air
This method consists in drying the fruit outdoors - under the sun.
Depending on the weather and the vegetables themselves, the duration ranges from several days to several weeks.
In addition, you will need special containers, like a sieve or grates, the bottom of which allows air to pass through, as well as nets to protect the fruit from insects.
Step by step algorithm
- We lay out pieces of vegetables on lattices separately from each other (at a distance of 1 cm);
- We cover the grates with fruits with a grid;
- We take it out into the street under the sun's rays;
- Turn the pieces over twice a day;
- At night, we take it indoors or put it under a shed so that the drying does not get wet in a sudden rain.
Air drying can also be used inside the house. But in this case, it is more convenient to string the pieces of fruit on a thread and hang them up. The room must be well ventilated and kept out of insects.
In the oven
Oven drying takes eight hours
For oven drying, you need baking trays and baking parchment.
The average drying time is 7-8 hours, but it all depends on the characteristics of the oven.
If after this time the pieces have not reached the desired readiness and resemble dried, they must be put to dry for another couple of hours.
Step by step algorithm
- We turn on the oven at 50-60 ° С;
- Cover the baking sheets with parchment and lay out the zucchini pieces (at a distance of 1 cm);
- We put the baking sheets in the oven and slightly open the door;
- We turn the vegetables every 30-40 minutes, and also - we change the baking sheets in places and turn them over relative to the open door.
In the dryer
To dry zucchini in an electric dryer, nothing is required from you, except for the device itself.
The duration of the process is from 4 to 5 hours (depending on the juiciness of vegetables and the characteristics of the apparatus).
When buying a device, it is very important to choose the right model with the required power and capacity.
Step by step algorithm
- Pull special baking sheets out of the electric dryer and put slices of zucchini on them;
- Place the baking sheets in the dryer;
- Turn on the temperature regime specified in the instructions for this model;
- There is no need to turn vegetables - you can safely go about your business;
- After 4 hours, draw out the zucchini, cool and check for readiness.
Checking readiness
To determine how dry the fruits are, they must first be cooled.
The first sign of insufficient readiness is the release of moisture, and if it is there, the vegetables need to be dried. The elasticity of well-dried pieces is usually retained, they wrinkle slightly and take on a darker color.
Storage
You need to store dried zucchini in a glass container.
It is better to use a glass jar with a sealed screw for drying storage. In such a container, dried zucchini will last until next summer, and possibly longer.
Containers made of plastic and iron are not suitable for long-term storage - pests can enter them, and the pieces themselves will soften under the influence of air.
Some housewives advise keeping zucchini mixed with salt - in bags. In this case, the drying should be checked frequently for the presence of moths. Alternatively, you can store dried vegetables in the freezer. This method is especially relevant if the pieces are not completely dry for some reason.
Benefit and harm
Drying zucchini is very popular and fully justified, because it preserves all their useful substances in vegetables: valuable trace elements remain intact, and the amount of vitamins decreases slightly (and only at elevated drying temperatures or preliminary boiling).
Of course, the appearance of vegetables does not change for the better, but their properties, taste and aroma hardly change.
Dried fruits can be added to the diet, in addition, they have a beneficial effect on the body: they normalize digestion, strengthen the nervous system, reduce the risk of oncology, and improve vision.
These squash are good for the heart and blood vessels, they promote good immunity, healthy skin, hair and nails.
Caution in the use of a vegetable should be observed in case of kidney disease, as well as gastritis and ulcers.
Application
The main sphere of application of dried zucchini is cooking (although they can take their rightful place in home cosmetology). But most often vegetables are prepared for cooking in winter. They perfectly complement vegetable stews, soups, casseroles, roasts and other hot dishes. They are fried like mushrooms, added to scrambled eggs, sauces, and mashed potatoes.
The pieces just need to be taken out of the jar and sent to their intended destination - during cooking or stewing, they will naturally recover.
If you need to add zucchini to a warm salad or other dish that does not require high temperatures, the pieces are previously sent to warm water for a few minutes.
With the help of drying, even sweet foods can be prepared from them, for example, candied citrus fruits, which can then be added to baked goods and desserts.
How to make candied fruits
Young zucchini should be washed and cut into small cubes, and then covered with sugar overnight. Grind the orange and lemon with a blender and add to the sweet syrup that appears in the zucchini.
We also send pieces of vegetable there and cook for 5-7 minutes.Then we take them out and put them in an electric dryer - dry until tender.
Conclusion
Drying zucchini is a great way to make a healthy preparation for the winter.
It is most convenient to dry vegetables in an electric dryer, but in the absence of one, you can do it in the oven or just outside.
When stored properly, drying stays good until the next season, and cooking with it is easy and pleasant.