Eggplant is a popular vegetable. But not everyone knows how to store them properly. An excellent option is freezing, but the fruits are voluminous and you cannot put a lot of them in the freezer. In this case, drying will help. A step-by-step recipe with a photo of dried eggplants for the winter. Video recipe.
Many housewives in the fall think about how to save eggplants for the winter. They are harvested in a variety of ways: canning, making caviar, freezing and even drying. The latter method of harvesting is less rare, although at the same time a large amount of nutrients are retained in the vegetable. You can dry them, like other vegetables, in a city apartment, and the process is not at all complicated. It is worth noting that it has been scientifically proven that with proper drying (at a moderate temperature) of vegetables, almost all useful substances are preserved in them. In dried eggplants, the concentration of nutrients increases due to a decrease in the mass of the fruit.
In addition, dried preparations with all kinds of tastes can be made from eggplants. For this, special marinades and spices are used. And gourmets can make bacon-flavored jerky eggplants. During the winter season, they are delicious served as a snack. Before cooking, dried eggplants should be soaked in water like dried mushrooms and cook as usual. In 30 minutes, vegetables will absorb enough liquid to restore. They can be used to prepare meals according to conventional recipes, like fresh vegetables.
Only ripe eggplants are suitable for drying, without damage or signs of decay. It is advisable to choose fruits of the same degree of ripeness with a thin skin, and in overripe blue ones, tough pulp and large seeds become. Therefore, mature eggplants are not suitable for drying for the winter; it is better to choose young fruits.
- Caloric content per 100 g - 35 kcal.
- Servings - Any Amount
- Cooking time - 30 minutes of active work, plus time to remove the bitterness (if necessary) and time to dry
Ingredients:
Eggplant - any quantity
Step-by-step preparation of dried eggplants for the winter, a recipe with a photo:
1. Wash the eggplants, dry them and cut off the stalks.
2. Cut the fruit into bars, cubes, rings, half rings, or any other shape. If ripe fruits are used, they contain harmful solanine, which adds bitterness. It needs to be removed. To do this, sprinkle the sliced fruits with salt and leave for half an hour. Droplets will appear on the surface of the vegetables, along with which bitterness will come out. Then rinse the vegetables under running water and dry with a paper towel.
3. Put the eggplants on a baking sheet in an even layer and send to the preheated oven to 60 degrees. Dry the fruit with the door slightly open to release steam. Drying time may take 2-3 hours. Turn the eggplants periodically so that they dry evenly on all sides.
4. Finished dried eggplants for the winter should be dry, but soft. Store the blank in a paper bag or glass jar at room temperature.
You can also dry eggplants in an electric dryer at a predetermined temperature of 55 degrees for 25-27 hours. The temperature in the room where the electric dryer will be located should be +28 degrees.
You can also use the old grandmother's way and dry the fruit outdoors in the shade. If this is the case, cover the eggplants with gauze to keep flies and dust out of them. Bring the fruits indoors at night, and take them outside in the morning.
See also a video recipe on how to cook dried eggplant for the winter.
