In addition to the two main methods of preserving vegetables - canning and freezing, there is another very popular and economical type of food storage. This is a long-standing tradition of drying food, and dried zucchini is no exception. This is how our ancestors used to prepare food for the winter.
Drying specifics
Zucchini is a vegetable that is probably known to every inhabitant of the planet. In many countries of the world, there are a large number of dishes with which they can be prepared in one form or another. The birthplace of the plant is Central America. It was there that this wonderful vegetable was cultivated five thousand years ago. The Indians even had a legend, which said that the marrow is a gift from the gods, it was so valuable.
Europeans began to dry it only in the 16th century, and in Russia it appeared in the 19th century. Since then, this culture has firmly entered the diet of many peoples of the East and West.
Zucchini is a storehouse of many well-known nutrients. It is rich in vitamins and minerals. The pulp of this plant contains vitamins A, B, C, folic acid. Also, zinc, magnesium, iron and other trace elements enter the body with it, which has a beneficial effect on hematopoiesis and the nervous system.
Today it is especially popular in dietetic food. Due to their nutritional value and low calorie content, early varieties are used for feeding young children.
A large amount of fiber in zucchini allows you to remove excess salts, toxins from the body and prevent the deposition of harmful cholesterol.
The properties of a dried vegetable are not inferior to fresh ones. This was noticed by the Indians who discovered it. In addition, such a product can be stored longer. A similar product is stored for a couple of years, after this period it will be better to prepare a new stock of this vegetable.
There are many recipes that include dried zucchini. It can be added to soups, meat and vegetable stews, various sauces, casseroles, cereals and many other dishes.
You can dry any varieties. However, the technology will be slightly different. For example, a young zucchini zucchini does not require special peeling, since it itself is quite soft with the peel. As for varieties with other sizes and growth periods, it will not be superfluous to pre-peel. Although it can be dried with the peel, it all depends on the further use.
So, to dry the zucchini, you must first peel it and cut it into rings. If it is completely ripe, then it is necessary to remove the seeds inside. By the way, they are also dried and used for food, since they contain a large amount of vitamin E. In addition, dried seeds have good antiparasitic properties.
The thickness of the rings will depend on the form in which they are subsequently planned to be used. To prepare the so-called chips, the rings must be very thinly sliced. If you need a rather dried-up version of the ring, you should cut it thicker. Young, thin and small squash can be cut lengthwise. You will get small plates that are also convenient to dry.
It is worth considering that it contains up to 90 percent of water, so it dries out very much. Only 100 grams of dried product will turn out from a kilogram.
Methods for drying zucchini for the winter
Like most other vegetables, zucchini is dried in the main modern traditional ways. This can be done in the oven, in the dryer, and in the microwave, and, of course, in the fresh air.
In the oven
In the oven, dry the zucchini in 7-8 hours. To do this, the circles or plates must be laid out on parchment, while maintaining the gaps between them. Plates can also be hung on special grates. Then ventilation will be maintained during drying. The temperature is set at 50-60 degrees. In the process, the mugs will need to be turned over. If the vegetable has not dried up within the specified period, then it will be possible to re-put it for an hour or two.
The advantage of this type of drying is that it retains a maximum of vitamins and minerals. Of the minuses, I would like to note the need for constant monitoring of the process.
In an electric dryer
The process of cooking dried zucchini in an electric dryer is most convenient. In the VOLTERA 1000 Lux dryer, you can put slices on multi-tiered sections, set the required temperature and go to do other household chores.
The advantages of dryers are that they allow you to preserve all the useful substances due to the gentle temperature regime. And this is very important for the preservation of vitamins. For example, at a temperature of 60 degrees, vitamin C is destroyed. In addition, modern dryers are equipped with the necessary ventilation system.
On air
Products dried in the fresh air are considered the most environmentally friendly, as the drying process occurs naturally. But it is the most durable. Zucchini will dry in this way for several days. They can be laid out on paper or hung on a stretched rope.
The disadvantage of this method is the lack of hygiene, various insects can fly in, dust can fly, etc. It is also worth noting that ventilation with this type of drying is not very good.
How to get dried in the microwave
The quickest way to dry zucchini is in the microwave. The maximum heating resulting from the penetration of microwave rays into the product instantly removes excess liquid. At average power, it will take only tens of minutes. The disadvantage of this method is constant monitoring of the product.
How to preserve dried zucchini
The best storage option is glass or plastic containers with a hermetically sealed lid. This tightness is required to prevent pests (moths, bugs, etc.) from entering the product.
Often such dried food is stored in rag bags. But over time, if the room is humid, drying inside can become damp. A dried vegetable can be stored until the next season, and sometimes longer.
Based on all of the above, we can conclude that zucchini, dried either in the oven or in a dryer and microwave, as well as dried in natural conditions, is not at all worse in its properties than fresh.
It can also be added with pleasure to a number of popular dishes. Porridge, stews, soups, omelettes - this is just an incomplete list of excellent recipes that contain dried zucchini. Besides, it can be stored for a long time.
Also, do not forget to read our articles on methods of drying potatoes and carrots.