It is better to soak black fungus in cold water and mushrooms in warm water

Dried food is one of the staple foods in many families. However, controlling the water temperature during soaking is a science. If the water temperature is properly controlled, the original freshness will be restored; on the contrary, if the soaking is improper, the precious dried goods may become waste, which is both wasteful and regrettable. To this end, the reporter interviewed Yu Renwen, chief nutritionist of the high-ranking cadres ward of the Beijing Military Region General Hospital, and Chinese cooking master Qu Hao, to teach everyone the "secret" of controlling the water temperature when soaking dried goods.

Soak black fungus, white fungus and bean curd sticks in cold water. Soaking black fungus and white fungus in hot water will not only make them difficult to fully expand, but will also make them soft and sticky, and many of their nutrients will be dissolved and lost. Although it takes longer to soak black fungus in cold water, it tastes fresh, tender and crispy. It is also best to soak bean curd sheets slowly in cold water. Using boiling water will break them up and make them impossible to cook. When soaking, you may want to place a plate on the bean curd sheets so that they can be completely immersed in water. This will not only shorten the soaking time, but also make the bean curd sheets soak evenly to ensure the best taste.

Soak the mushrooms in warm water. The special flavor of dried shiitake mushrooms comes from the two ingredients they contain: mushroom essence and guanylic acid. Especially guanylic acid, its umami intensity is dozens of times that of ordinary MSG. When soaking dried shiitake mushrooms, it is best to use warm water at around 20-35℃. This will allow the shiitake mushrooms to absorb water more easily and become soft and swell, and will also allow the guanylic acid to fully decompose and emit a fresh flavor. In addition, the soaking time should not be too long. Once the mushroom caps are completely softened, they should be immediately removed and drained.

Steam kelp. Kelp contains alginate and alginic acid. These substances are insoluble in water, but have extremely strong water absorption and swelling properties. Once they absorb water, a sticky colloid will appear on the surface of the kelp, which can prevent water from further penetrating. Therefore, it is difficult to soak the kelp. At the same time, most of the iodine contained in kelp is on the surface, and soaking it for too long will cause the iodine to be lost. Therefore, the best way is dry steaming. That is, spread out the kelp, steam it in a steamer for half an hour, and then rinse it with water, and it will be tender and crispy. After the kelp is soaked, you can add a little vinegar when eating to make it softer and crisper.

Sea cucumbers alternate between hot and cold. First, soak the sea cucumber in cold water for about 6 hours. After it is softened, cut open the belly of the sea cucumber and remove the ash particles in it; then rinse it with cold water for about 2 hours; finally, soak it in boiling weak alkaline water for about 2 hours, repeat twice, take it out and rinse it with clean water, then "chill" it with ice cubes to keep the meat fresher. When soaking sea cucumbers, avoid using salt, otherwise it will be difficult for them to expand and they will easily deteriorate.