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Drying eggplants for the winter is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. There are many ways to stock up on this product until spring. Eggplants have been dried for the winter since ancient times. The tradition of drying the gifts of nature came to us from the eastern countries, where it was first cultivated: the hot, arid climate did not allow storing food for a long time, so the nomads had no choice but to come up with their own way of storage, in the absence of refrigerators.
Dried eggplants take up little space, are lightweight and are easier to store
Is it possible to dry eggplants for the winter
Food can spoil because bacteria begin to multiply in them, the best breeding ground for which is ordinary water. Vegetables and fruits are 40-80% water, and eggplant is no exception - on average, it contains about 300 g of water. There is a way out: they can be dried, but it is best to start right now - winter is just around the corner.
The process of drying this product often causes difficulties if the hostess does not have special devices: the fruit is naturally dehydrated for about a month, while the bright sun should be shining outside. Not many Russian cities can boast of such a climate, and not all can dry dried fruits in the oven or microwave for the winter.
Selection and preparation of eggplants
The final result is influenced not only by full compliance with the cooking technology, but also by which vegetables have been selected for drying.
To provide the whole family with a delicious treat for the winter, you need to go to the market. Don't buy store-bought eggplants: chances are they were grown in greenhouses using a huge amount of chemical fertilizers. The fact is that during sublimation, the concentration of such substances can be very high, which will lead to food poisoning.
The fruits themselves should be of the same diameter, approximately equal in length, without skin defects. The harder the fruit is, the easier it is to dry.
It is best to buy eggplants in autumn or at the end of August - it is during this period of time that they begin to ripen, they need to be dried for the winter at the same time.
How to slice eggplants for drying
There are several ways to cut eggplants: the final choice depends on the purpose for which the hostess decided to dry them.
Very beautiful chips are obtained when they are cut into rings: the thickness of each circle should be about 5 mm. If you cut into pieces thinner, then it can become very hard, if thicker, it will not dry out.
If the product is used for winter vegetable soup, then you can cut the eggplants into 1 × 1 cm cubes, as well as into strips of the same thickness.
How to properly dry eggplants for the winter
The most delicious are those that are dried on clay roofs. They absorb the warmth of the sun's rays, dry evenly and turn out to be crisp, like potato chips - with such a delicacy, any winter will seem warmer.
In the oven
Drying eggplants for the winter without a dryer is difficult, but you can do it with a regular home oven.It is worth immediately warning the inspired housewives that in order to achieve the desired result, you may have to spoil more than one batch of eggplants. Therefore, it is advisable to dry in the beginning in a small amount and select the correct recipe.
The general rules for drying eggplants in the oven are as follows:
- Wash the pieces and dry them with a paper towel.
- Cut the eggplants using your preferred method and pat dry again with a paper towel.
- The workpieces are salted - the salt will draw out additional moisture: this way the process will go faster.
- After the vegetables should "rest" a little: do not be afraid if the pieces begin to darken - this is how the oxidative reaction of air and iron, which is part of eggplants, manifests itself.
- Before placing the eggplants in the oven, you can wipe off the excess liquid again with a towel.
- Many housewives, before drying, advise pouring vegetable oil over the vegetables, adding pepper, garlic and other herbs - however, do not experiment until the technology is perfected.
- The oven is heated to 40-50 degrees. It is worth remembering that home ovens can distort the result by 10-15 degrees. That is why it is important to be patient and use test batches of vegetables: at higher temperatures, the eggplants will cook, and if the degree is lower than necessary, they will not dry out.
- The workpieces must be laid out on parchment or a silicone mat, making sure that the pieces do not come into contact with each other, and left in the oven until completely dry.
The workpieces must be salted, this will help "draw out" additional moisture
Eggplant can be drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, but don't try this unless you have a special oil spray in your kitchen. This is due to the fact that the oily liquid must cover them evenly: if there is more oil in some area, then the piece simply will not be able to dry evenly.
Very tasty eggplants are obtained if, before drying, sprinkle them with finely chopped garlic: add it at the very end, when the eggplants are almost ready. But he also needs time to dry out.
In the dryer
The easiest way to dry eggplants for the winter is in special dryers. This miracle device is inexpensive and is sold in almost every hardware store. In appearance, it somewhat resembles a double boiler: it has several plastic tiers on which vegetables and fruits are placed. Moreover, each device is equipped with instructions, which describe in detail how to properly dry certain vegetables.
All vitamins and nutrients are preserved during drying.
The general rules for all types of electric dryers are practically the same:
- Eggplant must be washed and dried with a towel.
- Slice.
- Send to the plastic compartments of the dryer.
A smart appliance will do everything by itself: no need to add salt, as, for example, in the case of an oven.
On open air
You can also dry eggplants for the winter on the windowsill - this method is suitable for those who are in no hurry, since vegetables can dry up to a month.
The main rule is to check and monitor the process every day. If any of the pieces has become moldy, you need to immediately isolate it, and also remove the neighboring specimens.
You can dry eggplants right outside. This method is perfect for residents of the southern regions, in whose edges the bright sun is constantly shining, however, they are not immune from rains: you will have to constantly monitor the weather and hide dried vegetables in case a downpour begins. You can only remove eggplants from the sun for a couple of hours, otherwise the product may deteriorate.
It is better to dry young fruits, they have less bitterness
But for the inhabitants of the metropolis, this option is completely unsuitable: together with the sun's rays, vegetables can absorb heavy metals and carcinogens, so you cannot dry food on the balcony or with an open window.
You can also dry eggplants over the battery for the winter.To do this, they need to be cut into rings, put on a string, like beads, and hung over a heating device.
In the microwave
Drying blue ones for the winter will work in an ordinary microwave, if you find an approach to it. You may have to throw more than one batch of eggplants into the trash can, as with oven drying. However, the chances are high that someone will be lucky and the first time they end up with crispy eggplant cubes or chips.
Microwave drying process:
- Wash the vegetables and then dry.
- It is better to cut the eggplants into circles, the cubes will most likely just boil.
- The microwave oven is turned on at minimum power or put in the "Defrost" mode.Important! Eggplant should not be covered with anything, and it is best to dry it on the very tray of the microwave.
- Every 2-3 minutes, the pieces must be turned over and excess moisture removed.
- Drying time depends on the power of the device, but on average is about one hour.
In the microwave, you get aromatic and crispy eggplant chips
If, instead of drying, the eggplants are boiled, they can be added to casseroles, omelets, soups, and delicious pancakes can be prepared.
In order to fry eggplant pancakes you need:
- Take 200 g of baked vegetables.
- Beat 1 egg, add salt, spices and a spoonful of flour.
- The mixture is kneaded well and fried in vegetable oil on both sides.
- You can give free rein to your imagination and add onions, grated cheese, cottage cheese - the result will be simply amazing.
How to use dried eggplant
Whichever way the hostess chooses to dry eggplants for the winter, you can use them in only two ways: use them as a finished product or add them to some dish.
To prepare an eggplant casserole, you need to take:
- diced eggplants - 300 g;
- potatoes - 300 g;
- carrots - 100 g;
- mayonnaise - 200 g;
- garlic - 1 clove;
- butter - 50 g;
- Russian cheese - 100 g.
Dried vegetables are boiled, stewed, baked
Cooking process:
- Vegetables need to be chopped, mixed with dried eggplant, seasoned with mayonnaise and butter.
- Transfer to a baking dish and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Then sprinkle the casserole with grated cheese and bake for another half hour.
In order to cook soup, you must:
- diced eggplants - 50 g;
- potatoes - 100 g;
- onion - 1 pc.;
- carrots - 50 g;
- rice - 30 g;
- chicken - 300 g.
Before cooking, the dried product is soaked in hot water
Cooking process:
- The chicken is cut into small pieces and boiled over low heat for 30-35 minutes.
- Then add rice and finely chopped vegetables and let it simmer for another 20 minutes.
- You can add garlic and fresh herbs to the finished soup.
How to store dried eggplant
If you properly dry eggplants for the winter, then you can feast on this wonderful product until spring, because it is very easy to keep them.
You can save them as follows:
- Eggplants, dried for chips, are stored in glass jars with a tightly screwed lid or in vacuum bags for dried fruits. If there is no such package in the house, you can make it yourself. To do this, you need to take a bag with a zip system, pour vegetables into it, close it tightly, leaving a small hole in which you need to insert a straw for drinks and suck out all the air. Then the bag is closed and stored.
- The freezer will perfectly cope with the task of preserving freshness and all the vitamins present. Eggplants just need to be packaged in bags and put in the refrigerator.
- Dried eggplants are put into a glass jar, olive oil is poured on top, spices and herbs are added. In this way, you can store eggplants for 2-3 months, and the oil filling will make an excellent salad dressing.
It is better to store dried eggplants in a glass container with a lid, in cardboard boxes and cotton bags.
Whatever storage method the hostess chooses, it is important to follow the general recommendations: it is best to store eggplants in a dry, dark place, protected from moisture and drafts. From time to time, the pieces need to be examined and the moldy ones removed.
Conclusion
Drying eggplants for the winter is easy, and if you involve the whole family in the process, you can create a new family tradition, this will not only allow you to stock up on vitamins for the winter, but also improve relationships. It is very important to store vegetables for future use so that they do not deteriorate.
