Simple Ways To Freeze Vegetables To Maintain Nutrient and Freshness
Don’t get your favourite vegetables during off-season? Here is a way to use them in recipes even when those vegetables are not available in the market. Peas, carrot and spinach are some of the most common vegetables that are available in abundance during winter months. However, during summers it is hard to find them in markets and even if you do find them somewhere, their prices are skyrocketing. To save yourself from the trouble, here is a way to freeze vegetables to retain their nutritional value and keep them fresh for long.
Peas
To start with, by peas that are fresh and vibrant green in colour. You can 1-2 kgs of peas, depending on how many peas you want to freeze. Take out all the peas from the pods and collect them in a bowl. Now wash the peas properly and drain all the water. Fill a pot with water and let it come to a roaring boil. Add all the peas to the pot and blanch them for two minutes. This will make the peas a bit tender and change their colour to bright green. Immediately transfer the peas to a bowl filled with ice water. This will stop the cooking process. Let the peas cool down completely. Drain the water and take out the peas on a kitchen towel. Use a blotting paper to get rid of the moisture. You can also air-dry the peas. Add the peas to a ziplock bag and remove all the air. Keep the peas in the fridge and they will easily last up to 6 months.
Carrot
Peel the carrot and trim off the edges. Now chop the carrot into small pieces. You can either cut thin circular pieces or small cubes. This is basically done to ensure they are cooked properly. Boil sufficient water in a pot and add chopped carrots to it. Blanch for two minutes and shift to an ice bath. Once the carrots have cooled down, spread the pieces on a kitchen towel and wipe them gently. Now transfer the blanched carrot pieces to a baking tray and spread them in a way that the pieces don’t touch each other. After a few hours, take out the frozen carrot pieces and add them to an airtight box. Keep this box in the freezer and use the carrot whenever you want. Make sure you thaw the carrot for some time before using them in recipes.
