A treat such as pumpkin seeds has been familiar to all of us since childhood. They are not only tasty and healthy, but also extremely nutritious. The process of eating them allows you to occupy your hands and relieve nervous tension. In our article, I would like to tell you how to dry pumpkin seeds. Here you can resort to several methods, which will be discussed later.
What are the benefits of pumpkin seeds?
The use of the product brings the following benefits:
- Pumpkin seeds contain vitamins A and E, which contribute to the renewal of skin cells.
- They have zinc, which is important for maintaining vascular tone. In addition, the ingress of a trace element into the body helps to get rid of various rashes on the skin.
- Eating pumpkin seeds has a beneficial effect on lowering cholesterol.
- The product acts as an effective choleretic agent.
- Pumpkin seeds are rich in protein. That is why they are an indispensable product for vegetarians and raw foodists.
- Eating pumpkin seeds looks like an excellent preventative solution for controlling parasites.
Culinary reference
Pumpkin seeds are tasty and healthy. The product acts as a raw material for the production of oils that are used to prepare vegetarian dishes. It is possible to use such seeds not only in its pure form. They are often added to salads, vegetable stews, used to make sauces. Ground seeds can be a good ingredient in the preparation of cereals. The taste of homemade bread and pastries, where such a product was added, is extremely original.
Raw material preparation
Before telling how to dry pumpkin seeds at home, I would like to say a few words about the preparation for the process. To begin with, a ripe pumpkin is taken, on which there is no sign of decay. Then the top is cut so that the pulp is clearly visible. The inner tissue of the fetus is removed with a wooden spoon. If desired, the task can be handled. The main thing is to ensure that the seeds are not damaged. Otherwise, they will become unusable during drying.
After extracting pumpkin seeds, the raw material is carefully separated from the pulp and moved to a colander. Rinsing occurs under a powerful stream of water from the tap. The grains are neatly ted with hands. At first they will be slippery. However, after several washes, the viscosity will be eliminated. As soon as the seeds cease to slip between the fingers, they can be subjected to further manipulations.
Take some paper towels. In the latter, washed seeds are wrapped. Slight pressure is applied to the raw material, so as not to damage the product.
As soon as the seeds get rid of the liquid, they are moved from a towel to a board or tray. They are laid out in one layer and left in the fresh air. Seeds are kept under these conditions for several hours until the moisture residue evaporates.
Pan drying
Let's look at how to dry pumpkin seeds in a pan. The process is not much different from frying other products. The result is getting the most crisp goodies. So, how to dry pumpkin seeds in this way? To do everything right, you need to perform actions according to the following sequence:
- After preliminary drying in the fresh air, pumpkin seeds are sprinkled with salt.
- Raw materials are placed in a bowl filled with olive oil. Black pepper is poured here, dried garlic and dill are added. If desired, salt and savory ingredients can be replaced with powdered sugar. In this case, the fried seeds will be sweet.
- How to dry pumpkin seeds? The prepared product is laid in a thin layer on a hot pan. Fire is removed to a minimum. Seeds are fried for 20-25 minutes and periodically turned over. In this case, the pan is not covered with a lid.
- The fact that pumpkin seeds are ready will be indicated by the appearance of a golden crust on their surface. At the end of the procedure, the product is laid out on a paper towel. You can use the seeds as soon as they cool.
Vivo drying
How to dry pumpkin seeds without exposing the product to heat? An obligatory moment here is the presence of sunny weather and the possibility of placing raw materials in an open, ventilated area. Act here as follows.
The washed seeds are laid in a thin layer on a metal pan. The latter is brought to the site, which is well lit by the sun. In this place, the raw materials remain for several days. It is important to ensure that the air does not get wet. Otherwise, the drying process will be significantly delayed. The criterion of product readiness for use in this case is the appearance of a fragile shell.
How to dry pumpkin seeds in the oven?
To begin with, the oven warms up well to a temperature of about 150 ° C. The prepared seeds are laid out in a single layer on a metal pan pre-coated with foil or baking paper. Raw materials are sent to the oven.
How to dry pumpkin seeds in the oven? The product is exposed to high temperature for 10-15 minutes. As soon as the surface of the seeds becomes slightly brownish, they are removed from the oven and mixed. Then the raw materials are again sent to the device with the fire turned off until it cools down. After drying, you can lightly sprinkle the seeds with salt or sugar.
Microwave drying
You can dry pumpkin seeds in the microwave. Consider the procedure step by step:
- Seeds are washed and laid in a thin layer in a glass dish, the bottom of which is covered with paper towels.
- The capacity goes to the microwave. The device turns on at maximum power. The heat treatment time is set for 2 minutes.
- As soon as the timer rings, the dishes are pulled out. The seeds are mixed and re-placed in the microwave. Raw materials are fried for several minutes, but already at medium capacity.
- Then the seeds turn over again. If the product is not ready, the above steps are repeated. Qualitatively dried pumpkin seeds will have a rigid structure and a darkish tint.
Cooking seeds in an electric dryer
How to dry pumpkin seeds in an electric dryer for fruits and vegetables? Raw materials are placed on the gratings of the device in a single layer. In the dryer, the temperature is set at 60-70 ° C. To ensure that the product is cooked evenly, the pallets are interchanged from time to time. The omission of such an important point will lead to the fact that the seeds, which are located on the lower tier, will burn. Top seeds, in turn, may be half moist. Seeds are dried in this way until a golden crust and an easily detachable transparent film are formed on them.
Air Drying
How to dry pumpkin seeds in an air grill? Raw materials are placed in the device. The maximum power of hot air blowing is set. The raw materials are left alone for half an hour. At the same time, the air grill cover must be slightly ajar, which is required for good ventilation. Otherwise, humid air will accumulate inside the appliance, and pumpkin seeds will be slightly moist.
Storage of Dried Sunflower Seeds
If you store dried pumpkin seeds in natural conditions at room temperature, after about a week they begin to moisten, lose their crisp character and change in taste. To prevent this from happening, the product is placed in a cotton bag. An alternative is gauze, which is folded into several layers. Such a container for seeds is suspended in a dry, well-ventilated area.
Alternatively, the product can be placed in a plastic container. A good option for storing seeds is a glass jar hermetically sealed with a capron lid. The main thing is that such containers are stored in places where there is no moisture.
Finally
So we found out how to dry pumpkin seeds at home. As you can see, there are many effective and affordable ways to prepare such a nutritious and healthy product for use.
In the end, I would like to advise you not to buy factory-made pumpkin seeds. Often they are seasoned with an abundance of salt. Also in the composition may contain all kinds of preservatives and chemicals that are used to increase the shelf life of the product. It is much safer to do everything yourself by preparing pumpkin seeds at home. To cope with the task is easy. The main thing is to follow simple rules.