How long does it take to cook kelp?

In order to better preserve and transport kelp, people in coastal areas usually dry the kelp directly or add salt to dry the kelp before selling it. Therefore, after buying kelp and bringing it home, most people have to soak the kelp before they can cook it. However, due to the toughness of kelp, it is not easy to cook it in a short time, so how long should kelp be cooked before it can be eaten?

How long does it take to cook dried kelp?

We all know that dried kelp is made by directly drying fresh kelp or drying it after adding salt. Therefore, it needs to be processed before it can be eaten. So how long does it take to cook dried kelp? How to judge whether the dried kelp is cooked? Let's find out together below.

First, if it is dried kelp that has not been soaked yet, place it in a pressure cooker, add water, turn on the steam, and simmer for 15 minutes. The kelp is cooked when you can chew it or it is suitable for your taste.

Second, if the kelp has been soaked in water, boil it for 5 minutes and it can be eaten.

Here is a little tip for cooking kelp!

Alkali cooking method: Because kelp contains special ingredients that will expand when heated, so after adding kelp to water, you need to turn down the heat and pay attention. When cooking kelp, turn it over at any time to ensure that it is heated evenly. The next thing to do is to soak the cooked kelp in cold water, wash it clean, and then take it out and eat it.

Tips for processing dried kelp

Dried kelp is made by sun drying, so it is generally not clean, so when cooking, you need to wash it first and then soak it. So how long should you soak dried kelp? What are some quick soaking techniques? Let's learn about it together!

Since kelp contains arsenic, the soaking time is closely related to the texture and arsenic content of kelp. If kelp is relatively tender and contains less arsenic, the soaking time should not be too long. If the texture is hard and contains more arsenic, the soaking time can be relatively long. However, since the amount of arsenic is difficult to identify with the naked eye, it is generally sufficient to soak for about 6 hours. If the soaking time is too long, the nutrients in the kelp, such as water-soluble vitamins, inorganic salts, etc., will also dissolve in water, and the nutritional value will be reduced.

When soaking dried kelp, use more water and change the water once or twice. Here are some tips for soaking dried kelp!

Method 1: 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. This way the kelp will taste better.

Method 2: Soak the kelp in rice washing water, or add a little edible alkali or baking soda when cooking the 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.