In the past, people lived in difficult conditions, food was scarce, and it was difficult to preserve, so in order to continue life, they developed the method of drying and roasting food, so that it could be eaten in winter and spring. This Xi of drying dishes became the great wisdom of the working people. The process of preparing dried vegetables is like a magic show of nature, where the dish stores abundant energy as it grows, and then through a slow drying process, the water is evaporated, but the nutrients are retained in the dried dish, while also imparting a special aroma to the dried vegetables.
In order to meet the food ration needs for the winter, a variety of dishes in our village can be prepared into dried dishes. Dried vegetables are easy to store and can be eaten in winter, and over time, the taste of dried vegetables becomes more unique and delicious. Fresh Chinese cabbage, for example, is dried in the sun, stored to prevent insects and moisture, and stewed with vermicelli and pork when the weather is cold, making it super fragrant and more delicious than fresh Chinese cabbage.
1. Prepare the ingredients and process the cabbage: We have prepared 12 Chinese cabbages here, first wash them and remove the old leaves on the outside. Then cut off the root at the bottom, as this part is thicker and has a bad taste. Then draw a cross at the bottom to facilitate subsequent processing. Finally, divide the cabbage into 4 small portions and process it to get a large pot of cabbage.
Extension 1: In addition to Chinese cabbage, other vegetables such as green peppers, peppers, celery, etc. can also be stored by drying them. It only needs to be processed accordingly according to the characteristics of different vegetables, and then dried.
2. Blanching treatment: Boil the pot with hot water, blanch the cabbage in the water, blanch the stalks first, then put them in the pot and cook them for about 1 minute, and then remove them after the cabbage stalks become soft. Then drain and prepare for sun drying.
Extension 2: The purpose of blanching treatment is to accelerate the loss of water from the cabbage and make the cabbage dry faster.
3. Drying process: Before drying, you need to observe the weather conditions in advance and choose a sunny and windy day for drying. Hang the cabbage and use the wind to help the cabbage dry faster.
Extension 3: The drying process generally takes 3-4 days, depending on the weather conditions. The moisture on the surface of the cabbage will gradually dry and it will still be moist to the touch on the first day, and there will be little moisture on the second day, at which point the leaves may curl slightly. On the third day, the cabbage leaves are mostly dry, but there may still be some moist sensation on the stems. By the fourth day, the cabbage had dried completely and was crunchy to the touch, without a hint of wetness. The dried cabbage is yellow in color and has a faint aroma of dried vegetables.
Extension 4: Sun-dried cabbage can be stored for a long time, as long as it is dried and does not return to moisture, no matter how long it is placed, it will not spoil. The appropriate way to preserve it is to put the dried vegetables in a box or bag and keep them tightly sealed.
1. Soaking: Sun-dried cabbage is crisp to the touch, there is no moisture, and you need to soak it in warm water in advance before eating.
2. Cut into pieces: The soaked cabbage is soft to the touch, so you can squeeze out the excess water and then cut it into small pieces.
3. Stew: Simmer the chopped cabbage with pork belly and vermicelli, add an appropriate amount of salt and light soy sauce for seasoning, and the absolute aroma is overflowing when it comes out of the pot. Although it is not as tender as fresh cabbage on the palate, it has some chewiness and also has the unique aroma of dried vegetables. As an ingredient in stewed meat and stewed vermicelli, dried cabbage is not only delicious, but also satisfying.
Extension 5: In addition to stewing, soaked cabbage can also be used to stir-fry, mix and other ways to eat, according to personal preference and toppings.
1. Blanching treatment: In the process of making dried vegetables, blanching treatment can speed up the water loss of plant tissues and help make cabbage dry faster.
2. Pay attention to the weather: When choosing sun-dried weather, it is best to choose a sunny and windy day, which can speed up the drying speed of cabbage. Even on days when there is no sun, as long as there is enough wind, the drying effect of cabbage can be guaranteed.
3. Soaking use: When soaking dried vegetables, you can use warm water to soak them, which can better retain the taste and nutrition of the dishes.
Making dried vegetables is the crystallization of people's wisdom, especially in the past, when the living conditions were difficult, drying and roasting dried food has become an important way for people to continue their lives. Dried cabbage is a common dried vegetable made by blanching fresh Chinese cabbage and drying it in the sun. In the process of making dried cabbage, it is necessary to pay attention to choosing the right weather and sufficient wind so that the dried cabbage can be dried quickly. When it is done, the dried cabbage can be kept in a dry container, and the preservation time can reach half a year or even a year. When eating dried cabbage, you need to soak it in warm water in advance to soften, and then you can cut it into small pieces and stew or stir-fry it with other ingredients, which is delicious and satisfying. Making dried vegetables can not only maintain the nutrition of the ingredients, prolong the preservation time of the food, but also give the ingredients a special flavor of dried vegetables, which is the crystallization of people's wisdom.