Tangyuan is a traditional Chinese delicacy, and every winter solstice and Spring Festival, every household will cook it to celebrate. However, sometimes we are busy or for other reasons, we will freeze the glutinous rice balls for too long, resulting in pinching. At this time, what should we do?
First of all, we need to understand the cause of sandwiching. The sandwich is because during the freezing process of the rice balls, the internal moisture is wrapped by ice crystals, resulting in uneven heating, resulting in the phenomenon of external cooking and internal growth. Therefore, the key to solving the problem of pinching is to heat the rice balls evenly.
Next, there are several methods we can take to deal with the sandwiched rice balls:
1.*Soak in warm water**: Put the raw glutinous rice balls into warm water at about 40 degrees Celsius, stir gently, and let the glutinous rice balls heat evenly. When the surface of the rice balls is translucent, they can be removed and put into the pot to cook. This method allows the ice crystals inside the rice balls to melt gradually, so as to achieve the effect of cooking.
2.*Microwave Oven**: Place the raw rice balls in a microwavable container, add a little water and cover with plastic wrap. Heat over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, then remove to check the doneness of the rice balls. If it is not fully cooked, the heating time should be extended appropriately. It should be noted that when using a microwave oven for heating, the container should be made of the appropriate material to avoid cracking or producing harmful substances.
3.*Re-steaming**: Put the raw rice balls into the steamer and steam over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. With the action of steam, the glutinous rice balls will gradually soften and cook. In this method, attention should be paid to the moderate heat to avoid over-steaming and cracking the rice balls.
Regardless of the method, the taste of the processed glutinous rice balls will be different from those of freshly cooked. Therefore, in order to avoid the occurrence of raw rice balls, it is best to prepare them in moderation when cooking them, so as to avoid freezing them for too long due to excessive leftovers.
In addition to the above three methods, there are some precautions that can help us avoid the problem of tangyuan sandwiching:
1.*Control the time of boiling glutinous rice balls**: The boiling time of glutinous rice balls should not be too long, generally put in the pot after the water is boiled, and then cook for 2-3 minutes after the glutinous rice balls float. If the cooking time is too long, it will cause the glutinous rice balls to be cooked on the outside and raw on the inside.
2.*Choose the right freezing method**: For glutinous rice balls that need to be frozen, it is best to use a sealed bag or sealed container for preservation to avoid water loss and sticking to each other. At the same time, do not expose frozen glutinous rice balls to the air for a long time to protect them from moisture and pollution.
3.*Defrosting method**: Frozen glutinous rice balls need to be thawed before cooking. The glutinous rice balls can be left to thaw naturally at room temperature, or the glutinous rice balls can be slowly thawed in the refrigerator overnight beforehand. Do not boil the frozen glutinous rice balls directly in hot water, as this will cause uneven heating inside and outside and the phenomenon of pinching.
To sum up, solving the problem of frozen rice balls can be achieved by soaking them in warm water, microwave heating or re-steaming. At the same time, we should also pay attention to controlling the cooking time, choosing the appropriate freezing method and the correct thawing method to avoid the occurrence of pinch raw materials. Hopefully, these methods will help you enjoy the delicious dumplings better.