Should I use hot or cold water to cook kelp?

Kelp is something that grows in the sea. It is a very common thing in daily life. The nutritional value of kelp is very high. Kelp is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients. There are many ways to cook kelp. The more common way is to cook kelp soup. Kelp soup tastes particularly delicious and is a very popular delicacy.

Should I use hot or cold water to cook kelp?

When cooking kelp soup, you must add cold water, and never use hot water. Using hot water will cause the fishy smell of the kelp to be released, and a large amount of it will remain in the soup, so it will taste strange. Boiling kelp with cold water can first make the kelp more tender and taste more fragrant, and the fishy smell will also be lost and evaporated during the heating process, which is conducive to the retention of the umami taste. Everyone should pay attention to this in the future and don't make mistakes again.

How to soak dried kelp easily

1. Cut the dried kelp into pieces about 15 cm long, open them and put them into a basin filled with cold water (tap water will do, never use hot water) and soak them overnight.

2. Take out the soaked kelp piece by piece and rub them like washing clothes to loosen the dirt on it, then rinse it under running water.

3. Place the cleaned kelp on the curtain of the steamer, cover the pot and steam over high heat for 30 minutes, turn off the heat, and then simmer for 10 minutes before opening the lid.

4. After it cools down, wash off the mucus with running water, and then you can eat it cold or stir-fry or stew it.

There are tips to soften kelp

Method 1: Soak kelp in rice water.

Or add a little edible alkali or baking soda when cooking kelp, but not too much. After it is cooked soft, soak the kelp in cold water, wash it clean, then take it out and eat it.

Many families store some dried kelp and do not rush to eat it. Some people believe that it can be stored for a long time like other seafood.

1. In fact, kelp should be eaten as soon as possible after buying it. If you cannot finish eating it, you should refrigerate the unpacked kelp in the refrigerator or freezer. This is because the unpacked kelp will be affected by factors such as temperature and light during storage, and its nutritional content will be degraded. On the contrary, microorganisms will continue to multiply and harmful ingredients will continue to increase. These reasons will cause the kelp to deteriorate and become inedible.

2. When eating kelp, it should be cleaned, soaked in water according to the actual situation, and the water should be changed continuously. Generally, it should be soaked for more than 6 hours. If the kelp becomes not tough after being soaked in water, as if it has been boiled, it means it has gone bad and cannot be eaten.

Method 2: Dry steaming

Unwrap the dried kelp and place it in a steamer and steam it for about half an hour, then soak it in clean water overnight.