3 best recipes for making dried zucchini for the winter
Harvesting dried zucchini for the winter is a good way to preserve the beneficial properties of this product. Housewives dry the zucchini annually for the winter, since this vegetable, after full maturation, can be stored under normal conditions for no more than 10 days, after which it begins to deteriorate. It is harvested in large quantities due to its characteristics - a large amount of vitamins and low calorie content.
Is it possible to dry zucchini for the winter
Many people mistakenly believe that when food is dried, they lose all their beneficial properties, however, this is not the case. Drying of fruits and vegetables was carried out on flat and clean surfaces in direct sunlight. Today there is special equipment that will significantly speed up this process.
Despite the fact that visually the product becomes worse, it retains most of the nutrients that are necessary for the human body.
Also, this method is the most profitable for preserving products from the summer or spring period from a financial point of view.
When zucchini is dried, you can get about 1 kilogram of the finished product from 10 kilograms of the original raw one. This is due to the fact that the procedure removes all moisture from the vegetable. Zucchini consists of 90% liquid, therefore there are large losses in mass.
Medium-sized zucchini has a caloric value of 24 kcal and contains the following substances:
- monosaccharides;
- disaccharides;
- various vitamin groups (A, B, C, E, H);
- ash;
- saturated fatty acids;
- potassium;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- iron and other metals.
Drying zucchini has the following advantages:
- preservation of 80-90% of trace elements, vitamins and other useful substances that are in the product;
- the absence of the likelihood of purchasing products with preservatives if drying is carried out on homemade vegetables;
- economy in the presence of a special electric dryer;
- preventing the development and spread of pathogenic microbes;
- the possibility of drying any kind or subspecies of zucchini;
- the inability to oxidize products.
Features of the selection and preparation of vegetables
For the drying procedure, any kind of vegetable is suitable, therefore you should choose according to your taste and preference. It is most convenient to dry small specimens from 10 to 20 centimeters. When choosing a product, you should pay attention to their appearance. You should avoid purchasing vegetables that have:
- darkening on the surface;
- damage;
- peeled or trimmed parts;
- rotten areas;
- dry stalk;
- cracked or wrinkled skin;
- unnatural gloss of the surface.
Before starting drying, you need to carry out some preparatory measures:
- Rinse vegetables thoroughly under running, cool water.
- Cut off the stem and back of the vegetable marrow.
- If the vegetable is old, peel off the peel, and if it is young, you can leave it.
- If the specimens are large and contain large seeds, remove them with a small spoon.
- Cut the zucchini into any convenient shape: strips, wedges, cubes or slices.
- Before direct drying, boil the sliced zucchini for 2 minutes or sprinkle generously with salt. After a strong release of juice, the vegetable can be peeled and dried.
Drying recipes
There are several methods for drying zucchini. Each of them has different periods of complete cooking, as well as the percentage of preservation of useful substances in the product.
In the oven
Cooking in the oven will allow the vegetables to dry completely within 6-8 hours. Use parchment paper when baking to prevent the zucchini from sticking to the baking sheet. You need to stack products so that there is little space between them.
The suitable temperature for drying is 50-55 ° C. Periodically, parts need to be turned over and swapped.
In an electric dryer
The fastest and most economical way is in an electric dryer, but for its preparation, you must first purchase a special device. In the dryer, simply place the chopped vegetables on several levels, cover, start the program and wait for cooking.
Drying in the sun
The longest drying process for food is in the sun. It can last from a few days to a week. To dry, take any flat surface with small holes and place the chopped food on it. Such a pallet must be exposed to the sun and the vegetables must be turned over 2 times daily for even processing.
How to check readiness
You can determine the degree of readiness of a product by its appearance and structure. When touched, they must be elastic and not release liquid.
The surface of the squash becomes shriveled and sluggish.
How to store dried zucchini
For a long shelf life of dried vegetables, it is better to use glass containers with a sealed lid or special plastic packaging, which will not get moisture and parasites.
