Is it better to soak kelp in hot water or cold water?

Every time you buy kelp, cleaning it is a rather troublesome task. Many people like to eat kelp. It is a good choice whether it is for cooking or making soup. It is also good for the body and has the effect of detoxifying and cleansing the stomach and intestines. When you buy kelp, there will be a layer of white stuff on it. Many people don’t know whether it is better to wash it with hot water or cold water. So which water is better?

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.

Hair foaming products

Soak black fungus, white fungus, and yuba: 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 a longer time 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. If you soak them in boiling water, they will easily break into small pieces and fall apart when you cook. When soaking, you can place a plate on the bean curd sheets so that the bean curd sheets can be completely immersed in water. This will not only shorten the soaking time, but also make the bean curd sheets soaked evenly and have the best taste.

Soak dried mushrooms: warm water

Dried shiitake mushrooms are more fragrant than fresh ones because the special flavor of dried shiitake mushrooms comes from two ingredients: 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 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.

Soaking kelp: Steam method

Kelp contains alginate and alginic acid. These substances are insoluble in water, but have extremely strong water absorption and expansion properties. Once they absorb water, a sticky colloid will appear on the surface of the kelp, which will 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. First spread out the kelp, steam it in a steamer for half an hour, 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 it to make it softer and crispier.

Soaking sea cucumber: alternating 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. Then rinse with cold water for about 2 hours, and finally soak in boiling water for about 2 hours, repeat twice, take out and wash with clean water. The soaked sea cucumber can be placed in the refrigerator to "chill" to keep the meat fresher.

When soaking sea cucumbers, avoid using salt, otherwise it will not be easy to soak and will easily deteriorate.