Blanching Vegetables

Blanching vegetables is an easy technique of boiling vegetables for a short while and then immediately chilling them in ice-cold water. I have a big garden so I grow a lot of vegetables and blanching them has always been a good option that helps me preserve the nutritive value of vegetables. Vegetables should be blanched before they are stored in the freezer. This not only helps in retaining their nutritive value, but also helps in preserving their color, flavor and texture.

How to Blanch Vegetables?
Blanching is a popular technique used by many food enthusiasts and cooks to keep vegetables crisp and tender.

• Fill a large pot with water, add salt and bring it to a boil. Add enough salt so that water tastes salty.
• While the water is heating, fill a large bowl with three quarters of ice and add enough cold water.
• Add the vegetables in small amounts to ensure that water doesn't loses its boil.
• Boil the vegetables, until they are barely cooked but still tender. To test, remove a small piece with a spoon, dip it in to ice water and eat it.
• Once the vegetables are done, remove them as fast as you can and drown them in ice-cold water.
• Remove vegetables from ice-cold water, as soon as they get cold.
• To cook the vegetables again, you can use any cooking method you want, like sauteing, boiling and grilling. If you want to reheat the vegetables, take care to scantily heat them and not to cook them again.

How Long to Blanch Vegetables?
This is a common doubt which arises in everyone's mind. People know that blanching vegetables is necessary, but sometimes they blanch it for a long time and sometimes for a minimal time. Below is the list of some daily use vegetables and how much time they should be blanched in boiling water.

• Green beans for 3 minutes.
• Broccoli chopped or stalks for 3 minutes.
• Beet roots small size for 25 to 30 minutes and medium-sized ones for 45 to 50 minutes.
• Brussels sprouts small, medium and large should be blanched for 3, 4 and 5 minutes respectively.
• Green vegetables like spinach for 2 minutes.
• Cauliflowers for 3 minutes.
• Carrots whole and tiny for 5 minutes, diced or stripped carrots for 3 minutes.
• Corn on the cob for freezing on the ear small for 7 minutes, medium for 9 minutes and large for 11 minutes.
• Shelled peas for 1 minutes and snow or sugar snap peas for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Zucchini slices or chunks for 3 minutes and grated zucchini for 1 to 2 minutes.

What is the Purpose of Blanching Veggies
Well there are a lot of advantages of blanching vegetables.

• Blanched vegetables can be used in salads and in many dishes. Blanching brightens the color of some vegetables mainly green and yellow ones.
• Blanched vegetables can be frozen for later use. Vegetables which are not blanched, have enzymes growing in them in frozen state which makes the vegetables more hard. Vegetables also lose their color and flavor.
• Blanched vegetables require less heating, a quick saute or stir fry is enough. Less heating means less use of oil, which is beneficial for health.
• It's a recommended way to loosen skins of garlic, peaches, tomatoes and almonds which makes them easier to peel.

Blanching Vegetables for Freezing
If you want to have free-flow frozen veggies, as you see in supermarket follow these simple steps.

• Spread out the cooled, blanched vegetables in a tray and freeze them for an hour.
• Bundle them in groups in to a freezer bag. Zip lock the vegetables in an air tight container. Label the bags or container with contents and date. Use them whenever you like.
• It is advised to freeze your vegetables in smaller amounts, rather in a big batch.

Microwave Blanching Vegetables
A microwave can also be used for blanching vegetables, making cooking chore much easier.

• Most of the vegetables can be blanched safely using a microwave. Put your desired vegetables in a microwave dish or bowl covered with a glass lid and add one cup of water.
• The temperature and time used for blanching depends on the vegetables you are using. If the container is half filled with water, you can reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes.
• Submerge the vegetables in ice water after blanching. Once your vegetables get cooled drain off the water with a colander.
• Place your vegetables in zip lock bags or small air tight containers and freeze.

Blanching vegetables is an ideal option if you want to store the nutritive value of food. Blanching can also be done through boiling water and through steam. Although steaming takes more time, it preserves more nutrients.