Soup making is one of the traditional Chinese cooking techniques and is loved by the majority of people. Many people believe that the longer the soup is cooked, the better the nutrition of the soup. However, this view is not scientific. Prolonged boiling will destroy the nutrients in the ingredients, resulting in a decrease in the nutritional value of the soup. So, how to correctly grasp the time and method of making soup?Here's a closer look at it.
First of all, we need to understand why prolonged cooking destroys the nutrients in the ingredients. Some components that are not heat-tolerant, such as vitamin C and B vitamins, are gradually lost during heating. In addition, some small molecule flavor substances are also easily destroyed. Therefore, boiling for a long time will not only not increase the nutritional value of the soup, but will lead to the loss of nutrients in it.
Secondly, let's learn about the "old fire soup" that we drink in daily life. Although it tastes good, there are generally few protein extractables, and the nutrition is only slightly better than plain water. This is because prolonged boiling breaks down the protein in the ingredients into amino acids instead of dissolving into the soup. So, if you're looking for the nutritional value of your soup, "old fire soup" isn't an ideal choice.
Then, when making soup, we should control the time of making the soup. Generally speaking, it is best to keep the time to less than 2 hours. This not only retains the nutrients in the ingredients, but also ensures the taste of the soup. Of course, the specific cooking time needs to be adjusted appropriately according to different ingredients.
For fish, because of its tender meat, you only need to see the soup burnt white when cooking fish soup. This preserves the tenderness of the fish while preserving its nutrients. For chicken, pork and other ingredients, the time to cook the soup should not exceed 2 hours. This is because boiling for a long time will lead to an increase in the purine content in the soup, which is not good for health.
In addition to controlling the time of making soup, we can also choose the appropriate soup cooking method according to different ingredients. For example, for bones, you can boil them in cold water, skim off the foam, and then add other ingredients to boil. This reduces the production of blood and impurities, improving the clarity and taste of the soup. For vegetables, you can blanch them to remove bitterness and impurities before cooking them with other ingredients. This will make the vegetables more tender and tasty.
Finally, we can also add some seasonings and herbs according to personal tastes and needs. For example, ginger slices, green onions, goji berries, etc. can be added to increase the aroma and taste of the soup. At the same time, you can also choose suitable Chinese herbal medicines, such as Codonopsis, Astragalus, etc., according to the individual's physical condition and needs, so as to enhance the nourishing effect of the soup.
To sum up, the longer the soup is cooked, the better the nutrition. Prolonged boiling will destroy the nutrients in the ingredients, resulting in a decrease in the nutritional value of the soup. Therefore, when making soup, we should control the cooking time within 2 hours, and adjust the time and method of cooking according to different ingredients. At the same time, we can also add some seasonings and Chinese herbs according to personal taste and needs to increase the aroma and texture of the soup. Only in this way can we correctly grasp the scientific way of making soup and enjoy the nutritious and delicious soup.