Onions delight us with their countless benefits. But not at all times we can consume them fresh. They are a must-have product for every kitchen, since they are included in the preparation of almost all dishes. Because of this and to renew our reserves of vitamins and minerals, we can prepare homemade dried onions, which we can use for years.
The process of drying onions is not labor intensive at all as long as you are familiar with the basic steps. First of all, get a solid amount of onions, as they reduce by more than half their volume when they dry out.
Wash and peel the onions well. Some prefer to dry them whole, but it's best to cut them pieces, which are suitable for cooking.
Choose a tray of suitable size and line it with clean glossy paper or newspaper. It will absorb the moisture and the onions will not stick to the bottom of the tray. Place the chopped onions inside and put them in the oven at a low temperature, 60-70°C at the most.
The oven door should be slightly open to allow moisture to escape. The process must be continuously monitored. When the onions start to peel off the newspaper at the bottom, start stirring periodically.
This is done, until it is completely dry, which depends on the amount of chopped onion. An indicator of this is that when it is squeezed between the fingers, its skin breaks. Be very careful not to burn them.
The dried onions are removed from the oven and left to cool completely. During this time, they once again absorbs a certain amount of moisture from the air, from which the scales become tough and elastic and not dry and brittle. Store them in well-closed boxes.
The dried onions are used in several ways. They can be put directly into the dish or soaked in water in advance. This is done, so that they can somewhat regain their original appearance. If they are going to be fried, soaking is a must.
You have to be careful with the doses. A medium-sized onion equals 1 tbsp. of dried onions. This is partly subjective, as it all depends on the type of onion and how much water it contains.
You can add dried onions to your soups, add them to hotdogs or make bread buns with them.
Comments