How to prepare dried onions in different ways and where to use it
Onions are a vitamin and popular vegetable with medicinal properties. The pungent fruit-eating champions are from Libya and Senegal. Citizens of these African countries eat more than 30 kg of onions per person per year. In Russia, these indicators are much more modest, but onions in one form or another are grown in almost every vegetable garden.
Unfortunately, fresh turnip is difficult to store. Violation of storage conditions leads to the appearance of rot and damage to the crop. Drying helps to ensure that a healthy vegetable is preserved. At the same time, the product does not lose its beneficial properties. In the article we will tell you how to dry onions and green onions at home.
The content of the article
Benefits of dry storage
Dried Onion Seasoning Has Several Advantages Over Fresh Vegetables... Here are the main ones:
- it is convenient to store it in the winter, since the dried pieces take up little space;
- the product is already cleaned, crushed and ready for use;
- dry slices can be sautéed and stewed;
- dried onions are convenient to take with you - for example, on a hike;
- a properly prepared product retains vitamins, phytoncides and beneficial properties.
Benefits and composition
What are the benefits of dried onions? Like fresh, it strengthens the immune system and helps fight colds, has antihistamine properties and lowers blood pressure. On the basis of a dry product, tinctures are prepared that have expectorant, diuretic and laxative effects.
The dry product retains minerals: potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, magnesium, vitamins B1, C, A, iodine, essential oils and fiber.
100 g of seasoning contains 8.4 g of protein, 2.8 g of fat, 42.6 g of carbohydrates. Caloric content - 208 kcal / 100 g.
Drying methods
Dry turnip at home in several ways... One of the easiest and most affordable options is to use a conventional oven.
In the oven
Peeled and cut into rings (cubes) onions are laid out on baking sheets... It is better to cover them with parchment first, then the pieces will not stick. The oven is heated to a temperature of 50-60 ° C and baking trays with onions are placed in it.
Important! The oven door is kept ajar throughout the drying process.
Depending on the size of the pieces and the amount of the product, drying in the oven takes 3-6 hours... The product is stirred periodically and the degree of doneness is checked. When the rings become brittle and crunchy, remove the baking sheets and cool.
In an electric dryer
From modern household appliances an electric dryer is used to harvest dried onions... Pre-cleaned and crushed product is evenly distributed on baking sheets and dried at 55-65 ° C for 6-7 hours.
In the airfryer
One of the fastest ways - drying in an airfryer. Onion pieces dry in just an hour. Place the chopped vegetable on trays, set the temperature to 70 ° C and turn on the maximum speed.
Outdoors
You can cook healthy and tasty seasoning without using electrical appliances... To do this, put onion chopped and cut into rings on grates and put in a well-ventilated place.
Need to know. When air-drying vegetables should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
From time to time the product is stirred to dry evenly... This will dry the onion for about two weeks.
Drying technology
Since it takes a lot of space to dry, it is convenient to dry the turnip in 3-4 kg portions... Let's talk about the intricacies of the process in more detail.
What is necessary
To prepare a tasty and healthy product, you only need fresh onion-turnipcollected from the garden or bought in the store. You do not need to add any preservatives for safety.
Onion preparation
Fresh onions are peeled from dry scales and chopped by hand or using a combine... Cut the vegetable into rings, half rings or cubes. It should be borne in mind that the larger the pieces, the longer they will dry.
Drying
The prepared product is distributed on baking sheets or wire racks. and, depending on the selected drying method, is placed in a preheated oven, electric dryer or airfryer. Or air dry in a ventilated place.
In the process of drying in any of the selected ways, the onions are periodically stirred and check for readiness. The finished product has a pleasant caramel color, becomes fragile and fragrant.
Take a note:
Drying green onions
Blank condiments of green onion feathers Is another great way to stock up on a healthy product for the whole winter. After all, if fresh onions can still be stored for several months, then green onions will wither in a couple of days. You can, of course, freeze it, but after defrosting, the greenery is already unattractive.
therefore the best way to stock up on a green feather for the whole winter is to dry it sliced... The technology for drying green onions is similar to the technology for drying turnips. Freshly cut feathers are sorted out, washed and dried. Then with a sharp knife, the feathers are cut into pieces of the desired size.
Dry greens prepared in this way in the same ways as turnips... At the same time, the product reaches readiness twice as fast. Store dried green feathers in tightly closed containers away from moisture and direct sunlight.
Harvesting dried leeks
Harvesting leeks is carried out in the same way as green feathers... The only thing to consider is the green and white parts of the plant. dry separately from each other, because the drying time is different.
Signs of readiness
Depending on the drying temperature, the finished product turns out to be different... If dried at low temperatures (up to 50 ° C), then the output will be just a dried light-colored vegetable without a pronounced odor.
If you set the temperature to 65-70 ° C, then the sugars contained in the vegetable are caramelized and the seasoning will acquire a sweetish concentrated taste and a pronounced aroma of fried onions. Pieces of this vegetable take on a caramel color and break when pressed.
Terms and conditions of storage
Any dried product is characterized by an increased ability to absorb moistureand onions are no exception. High humidity in the storage area causes the development of rot and mold, it is no longer possible to use such a product for food.
Attention! Large volumes of dried onions - more than 1 kg - are stored in a cool, ventilated place such as a basement or cellar. Indoor humidity should be moderate, not more than 70%.
Dried vegetables for winter storage, chopped onions or greens, are stored in plastic or glass containers with lids. Also, cardboard boxes and paper bags are used as containers. It is preferable to use small containers.
The packaged product is placed in a cool dry place without access to sunlight... For daily use, it is convenient to pour the seasoning into jars with a tight-fitting lid. Small volumes are well stored in the kitchen (in the closet or bedside table).
Council. Put a cloth bag with rice in a container with a dry product - it absorbs moisture well.
Whole pieces of dried onion, if stored properly, are suitable for consumption for two years... But when ground, the seasoning quickly fizzles out and loses its taste. For this reason, it is advisable to grind the onion in small quantities before using.
How to use
The use of dried onions is varied... It is used as an independent dish (for example, onion soup is boiled), stewed, added to vegetables, mushroom dishes, meat and fish.
Ground dried onions are used in onion bread baking, preparation of sauces and marinades, added to minced meat.
It's a versatile product, which can serve as both a seasoning and an independent ingredient.
Conclusion
Properly dried onions are not only perfectly stored for many months, but also do not lose their beneficial properties. The fragrant seasoning will complement the recipes for both first and second courses. Drying onions for the winter is a convenient and economical option for harvesting vegetables. Recommended!