Refreshing cucumbers are often made into pickled and cold side dishes, which are quite cool to eat, very suitable for summer enjoyment, and are quite quick to cook, and there is one less side dish on the table today? Looking for a refreshing side dish after dinner? Gherkins will definitely satisfy your needs! Before you start making a simple gherkin dish, let's understand how to choose and preserve the cucumbers!
Know before you eat it, how to pick a cucumber?
✔ Look at the body type
Gherkins with a straight body shape and uniform width and narrowness from head to tail are the best, and the length is about 15 cm. In addition, the body shape is too bent and the melon body is uneven, so you should also avoid buying.
✔ Look at the color
The skin of a fresh cucumber is dark green, and if it has turned black or yellow, it means that it is not of good quality or is not fresh.
✔ Look at the epidermis
The biggest feature of gherkins is that there are protruding "thorns" on the skin, usually more thorns indicate freshness; In addition, you can touch the melon body, it is better to press it hard and elastic, if it is soft and soft, it is not fresh.
How do I keep it after I buy it?
If the cucumber is left at room temperature, it will lose moisture in about 3 days, and the flesh will become dry and lose its flavor. Therefore, if you cannot finish it in a short period of time, it is recommended to store it in the refrigerator.
► Bagging and refrigerating
Melons are very easy to frostbite, and the best storage temperature is about 6~10 degrees, but the general refrigerator refrigeration degree is usually slightly lower than this temperature, so remember not to throw the cucumbers you buy home directly into the refrigerator, which will make the cupkins easy to turn black and moldy!
Shelf life: about 1 week
Wipe the water on the surface of the melon body, wrap it in newspaper or plastic wrap, put a layer of plastic bag on the outside and seal it, and put the stem upright in the vegetable and fruit refrigerator for preservation. Upright refrigeration is to simulate the growth process of cucumbers, if placed horizontally, it is easy to make the cucumbers water, and even consume nutrients, which will damage the taste.
Tips: If you are still worried that the gherkins will get frostbitten, you can wrap the gherkins in two layers of kitchen paper towels and newspapers to isolate the cold air, and then put them in a bag for refrigeration.
► Salt and freeze
Shelf life: about 1 month
After the cucumber is washed, dry it with a kitchen paper towel, sprinkle with salt and rub the whole gherkin, wipe off the excess water, put it in a plastic bag to freeze, and put it in the refrigerator to thaw it before cooking.
You can also slice the cucumber, add salt to knead it, marinate it slightly, drain the released water, dry the moisture, and put it in a crisper for freezing.
Tips: If you want to keep the crispness of the cucumber longer, you can cut the cucumber longitudinally, cut off the seeds in the middle first, and then do the subsequent preservation steps!
There is also a knowledge of cleaning methods!
The surface of cucumbers is not smooth and flat, and cleaning with vegetable and fruit detergents, salt water, baking soda, etc., may remain in the cracks or bumps on the surface, and it is not easy to wash thoroughly. The best way to wash the whole gherkin is to scrub the skin directly by hand under clean running water, or carefully scrub it with a soft brush.
If you are worried about pesticide residues, you can also use boiling water to blanch quickly, and put it in ice water to keep it crisp and green!