Preserve Your Vegetables by Blanching

By Pamela Otieno

VEGETABLE PRESERVATION

BLANCHING IS A process of scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam from boiling water for a short time, after which they are immersed in cold water to stop further cooking. Blanching inactivates enzymes which cause loss of flavour, colour and texture. To cool them off, rinse under cold running water or into a cold-water bath, while stirring the vegetables to transfer the heat from the vegetables to the water. Just before blanching the vegetables, add salt to the boiling water as salt helps to maintain colour and improve flavour.

Steps of blanching vegetables

1. Pick and sort the vegetables from damaged leaves, remove all foreign materials and wash the vegetables until clean.
2. Chop the vegetables in small pieces.
3. Boil clean water in a big sufuria and add 1 tablespoon of salt in every litre of water.
4. Using a piece of cloth put the cut vegetables in a cloth and tie.
5. Immerse the tied vegetables in the boiling salty water for 1 minute, then remove and immerse them in cold water for 5 minutes to stop further cooking.
6. When vegetables are cool, spread them on a raised rack and leave them to dry, this should be done under shade to retain the chlorophyll matter. You can use a solar dryer if available. Well dried vegetables can easily be crushed into flour by pressing them.
7. Once they are well dried pack them in an airtight container and store in a cool dry place.
8. Dried vegetables can be stored for six months.

Advantages of blanching

1. Inactivates enzymes which cause loss of flavor, colour and texture.
2. Helps slow loss of vitamins.
3. Blanching removes surface dirt and micro-organisms.
4. It increases the shelf life of vegetables.
5. Blanching allows a farmer to have vegetables for future use in time of scarcity.

Pamela Otieno is an extension officer working with Biovision Africa Trust. Email: potieno@biovisionafrica.org