Dried carrots: the subtleties of cooking, storage and use

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

When it becomes necessary to prepare a large number of vegetables for a long time, you can also use such a method as drying. In terms of taste and quality characteristics, dried carrots differ from frozen and pickled ones, which opens up wide prospects for culinary experiments. If you decide to dry this vegetable, follow simple recommendations. Then your product will retain its benefits, aroma and bright color for a long time.

Why dry carrots?

In the case of, for example, tomatoes and bell peppers, such a question does not arise. After all, some vegetables are available only in summer and early autumn. In winter, the taste and quality of purchased peppers and tomatoes are inferior to summer ones, but the price, as a rule, is prohibitively high. But onions, beets and carrots do not disappear from the shelves all year round. Why do we need dried carrots?

The benefits of this vegetable are known even to children. It is rich in beta-carotene and valuable trace elements. All useful components are perfectly preserved when dried.

In addition, dried carrots take up very little space compared to frozen or stored in the cellar. No special conditions are required; containers with dried vegetables can be stored in an ordinary kitchen cabinet or pantry in a city apartment. BUTAnyone who has tried dried carrots knows that it adds a special flavor to dishes. Respect this method and tourists. The package with the blank is enough for a long time, it weighs little, and it takes up very little space in the backpack.

The good old way

This root vegetable contains a lot of moisture, but also gives it away quite easily. If you cut this vegetable into pieces or grate it on a coarse grater, and then spread it in a thin layer and leave it in a draft for a couple of weeks, you will get excellent dried carrots. Just stir the scattering from time to time, separate the pieces so that they do not stick together. The window sill, on which the sun shines, is great for this business.

Oven technology

There are other ways of drying. The oven will help speed up the process. Wash the root vegetables, cover with boiling water and blanch for about 15 minutes. Cool by running under cold water. Cut the carrots the way you like best. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the pieces in a single layer. This vegetable should be dried in the oven at a temperature of 70oC. The process will take about 5 hours. Dried carrots in the oven are very fragrant and retain their color.

How to microwave dry

Preparation for the process is carried out in the same way as in the case of the oven. Line a flat dish with a paper napkin, lay out pieces of vegetables. Cover the top with another paper towel. Place a glass of water in the microwave. You need to dry carrots on medium power. Set the timer for 3 minutes, then stir the pieces. Continue drying by microwaving the carrots for 30 seconds, stirring each time.

Vegetable dryer

To make dried carrots tasty and well stored, they must lose enough moisture. If you plan to use an electric dryer for this purpose, strictly follow the manufacturer's recommendations. In the case of a dryer, you need to study not recipes, but instructions from your equipment. Different models require different settings, temperatures and times.

Storage of dried carrots

Dried carrots for the winter should be stored in dry conditions. Rooms with high humidity are not suitable for this purpose. Otherwise, carrots will "pull" moisture, resulting in mold and an unpleasant odor. These vegetables should not be eaten.

Ordinary glass jars can be used for storage. Place the carrot pieces tightly, pour a teaspoon of soda on top (on a three-liter jar), shake the container so that everything is evenly distributed. Close with a clean, dry lid and put away.

Soda will not allow the workpiece to become wet, protect against pests and retain taste. It is not necessary to wash it off. During cooking, soda will help boil dried carrots. From a large container, you can pour small portions of dried carrots into a spice jar so that it is at hand. It is desirable to put it in the closet after use.

If you are going to takedried carrots on a trip, use zipper bags. They will protect the vegetable from moisture.

Vegetable mixes

You can store other vegetables along with carrots. For example, dried carrots, onions, beets and garlic can be perfectly preserved in one container, filling with aromas and tastes of each other. Such blanks are very convenient. The main rule is to dry vegetables separately from each other, and you can mix them only when they are completely dry.

You can make these mixtures with carrots:

• "Green borscht": carrots, onions, sorrel, dill.
• "Borsch": beets, carrots, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes.
• "Mushroom soup": onions, champignons, carrots, herbs.
• "Stew": rotunda, carrots, green peas, broccoli.

Make different mixes that you can use to prepare your culinary masterpieces in winter. A mixture of dried herbs, carrots and onions can be called a truly universal seasoning, the range of applications of which is unusually wide.

Use in cooking

Dried carrots do not require any pre-treatment before adding to the cooking dish. For example, it is advisable to pour dried mushrooms with boiling water for several hours. Carrots can be added to dishes no later than 15 minutes before the end of cooking. If the pieces are very small (up to 3 mm), the cooking time can be reduced even to ten minutes.