Vegetables

Description

Dried pumpkin with spices, which we will prepare today according to the step-by-step photo recipe below, will go perfectly with many dishes. This preparation can also be used to create specific dishes, for example, dietary and healthy vegetable salad. The thing is that the unique properties of pumpkin allow it to retain all its beneficial vitamins and microelements even when cooked. Also, the number of calories in dried pumpkin is completely different from the number of calories it contains raw.

If we talk about the specific method of drying pumpkin at home, then there are not so many options. The easiest way to prepare such a hearty and healthy preparation is to use an electric dryer, but a regular oven will do. The only difference in the methods is that the dryer will do everything itself, but you will have to monitor the pumpkin in the oven, change its position and constantly keep the door slightly open. At the same time, there will be practically no difference in the prepared pumpkin one way or another.

Specifically in this recipe we will be preparing salted dried pumpkin and by this we mean that we will be using salt with various additional spices. The list of these very spices is not at all necessary.: you can safely change certain ingredients to your taste. The main thing is not to overdo it with seasonings, otherwise there will be nothing left of the natural taste of the pumpkin itself. Also, no one is stopping you from preparing the same dried pumpkin, only in a sweet way. For this you will also need various suitable spices and refined sugar.

Let's start preparing delicious and healthy dried pumpkin in an electric dryer for the winter.

Ingredients

Steps

Pumpkin is a completely waste-free product. Its pulp and very healthy large seeds are used in cooking. Even the thick peel was previously used instead of plates, after being peeled and dried. First of all, we need to clean the pumpkin pulp and also remove all the insides. Be sure to rinse and dry these seeds: they are incredibly beneficial for the body's cardiovascular system.



There are several ways to remove the skin from a pumpkin, and a lot depends on what type of pumpkin you are using. There are fruits that have a very thin peel and it is easier to cut it off exactly as shown in the photo. In another situation, it may be easier to cut out the pulp itself from the dense shell.



So, half the work is done: the pumpkin is cleaned and now it can be cut into neat, not too thin pieces or plates. During drying, the volume of each plate will decrease significantly, so there is no need to worry about this. It will be enough if all the pieces are approximately the same thickness.



At this stage, you should already decide on the list of spices that you will use to prepare this unusual snack. We place all the plates of chopped pumpkin in a large saucepan, first add not too coarse rock or table salt, and also add all the prepared seasonings one by one. Adjust the amount of spices according to the weight of the pumpkin you use. Mix the ingredients thoroughly so that the seasonings are distributed evenly between the pumpkin pieces.



We fill the clean and dry tray of the electric dryer with pumpkin plates in spices so that the pieces do not overlap each other as much as possible. Turn on the dryer, set it to 55 degrees and cook the pumpkin in this mode for 60 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 50 degrees and dry it for the next 12 hours until it is ready and has a pleasant crunch.



Depending on how large you cut your squash, the cooking time may vary. The easiest way to determine readiness is by appearance and taste. The finished pumpkin can be served immediately or placed in linen bags for storage. If you properly maintain such a workpiece, it will last quite a long time. Pumpkin chips can be served as a snack or used in salads. A delicious and healthy dried pumpkin with spices for the winter is ready according to the most delicious recipe.



Bon appetit!

To preserve the beneficial properties of pumpkin for a long time, make a preparation from it - dried powder. A step-by-step recipe with photos will help you clearly see the technological process. Video recipe.
Recipe contents:

Dried pumpkin is not only tasty, but also healthy. Many recipes are prepared from it, but today we will focus on winter preparations. Of all their types, the entire vitamin and mineral composition is preserved to the maximum during drying. Moreover, you can prepare an orange vegetable in this way at home in an oven or a special electric dryer. Then in winter, dried pumpkin pieces can be consumed as a sweet treat. Well, for those housewives whose households don’t eat pumpkin in any form at all, you need to make a powder from dried slices. Then it can be added to all kinds of dishes, marinades and sauces. For example, dried and ground pumpkin powder is added to baked goods to improve the taste and appearance. It is also added to soups and salads, meat casseroles, stews and other dishes. Some tips below will help you prepare the preparation correctly.

• All varieties of pumpkin are suitable for drying, but it is better to take autumn ones with thick skin, because... they dry faster.
• The orange fruit must be whole, ripe, without stains or spoilage.
• You can cut the peeled fruit from pulp, peel and seeds in different ways: into thin slices like chips, 5 mm thick strips for soups and salads, as well as small cubes.
• To prepare pumpkin flour, the cutting method is not important.
• Before drying, you can blanch the pumpkin slices (keep them in boiling water for 2 minutes). Then the dried pumpkin will retain its bright color as much as possible.
• You can also treat pumpkin pieces with saline solution before drying. This workpiece is protected from pests and damage.

• Calorie content per 100 g - 41 kcal.
• Number of servings - 5 kg of fresh pumpkin yields 350 g of dried powder
• Cooking time - 15 minutes of prep work, plus drying and chopping time

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin - any quantity

Step-by-step preparation of dried pumpkin powder, recipe with photo:

1. Peel the pumpkin, remove all fibers and remove the seeds. Wash it and dry it well.

2. Cut the pumpkin into any pieces if you will be chopping it later. If you don’t plan to chop, then choose one of the cutting methods given above in the article.

3. Next, dry the pumpkin. This can be done on a baking sheet in the oven at a temperature of 80 degrees, in the sun or in a special dryer.

4. When the pumpkin becomes dry, all the moisture will evaporate from it, and the pieces will be fragile, this indicates the preparation is ready.

5. Dried pumpkin can be stored in an airtight container as is. But if you want to grind it, then use a chopper, mortar, food processor, or meat grinder.

6. You can grind the pumpkin into large pieces or small pieces into dust. If the goal is to obtain very fine flour, then after grinding, sift the pumpkin through a fine sieve. Grind those slices that remain in the sieve again and sift again.

Dried pumpkin is a flavorful dessert that keeps well in the cold until spring. The treat can be prepared with sugar, cinnamon, lemon or orange juice.

Dried pumpkin is cooked in the oven at a temperature of 50-80 °C.

• Number of servings: 4
• Preparation time: 15 minutes
• Cooking time: 8 minutes

Dried pumpkin in the oven

The sweet treat can be served with tea or coffee.

Preparation:

1. Peel the pumpkin from the seeds, cut the pulp into slices.
2. Place the pieces on a baking sheet and place them in an oven preheated to 180 °C for 1 hour.
3. Boil syrup from water and sugar, pour it over the slices.
4. Bake the pieces for 10 minutes at a temperature of 100 °C. Drain the syrup and place the pumpkin pieces on parchment paper. Dry them at the same temperature for another 30 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the pumpkin with cinnamon and dry them in the oven at 50°C for 6 hours.
6. Transfer the blanks to clean paper and leave them at room temperature for 3 days.

Store treats in the refrigerator in a plastic container.

Recipe for dried pumpkin with thyme and garlic

The aromatic treat goes well with salads, hot dishes and side dishes.

Ingredients:

• pumpkin – 1 kg;
• vegetable oil – 200 ml;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• thyme – 1 tbsp. l.;
• fresh or dried rosemary - 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt and ground pepper - to taste.

How to cook:

1. Cut the pumpkin pulp into cubes measuring 2 by 2 cm. Mix the preparations with 30 g of butter, salt, pepper and thyme.
2. Place the preparations on parchment and place them in the oven for 3 hours. Cook the pumpkin at a temperature of 80 °C.
3. Cut the garlic into slices and mix it with rosemary. Place food in the bottom of a glass jar. Place the pumpkin pieces on them and pour the remaining oil over them.

Store the jar tightly closed in the refrigerator.

Dried pumpkin with orange and sugar

This delicacy is sweet and has a pleasant aroma.

Ingredients:

• pumpkin – 1 kg;
• sugar – 1 kg;
• orange – 1 pc.;
• water – 700 ml;
• cinnamon stick – 1 pc.;
• dry cloves – 2 pcs.

Cooking steps:

1. Cut the pumpkin pulp into small cubes.
2. Boil syrup from sugar and water, add cinnamon and cloves. Pour in orange juice and add zest.
3. Place the pumpkin in the syrup, boil it and cook for 5 minutes. Cool the workpiece. Repeat this procedure 2 more times.
4. Place the pumpkin pieces on parchment and dry them in the oven at 50 °C for 6 hours. The oven door should be slightly open.
5. Transfer the preparations to a flat dish and leave them at room temperature for 3 days.

Before serving, the treat can be decorated with powdered sugar.

Dried pumpkin is served as a dessert, added to salads, and used for baking.

Pumpkin is one of the most popular vegetables in dietary and baby food. In a dark, cool room, the fruits can be stored until spring. But a cut pumpkin cannot be preserved for a long time. In addition, the grown fruits often reach enormous sizes, and the family is not able to eat such an amount of pumpkin within a maximum of two weeks. That is why it is recommended to dry this vegetable. We’ll tell you how to do it correctly in our article.

Dried pumpkin: calorie content and nutritional value

Pumpkin, like most other dried vegetables and fruits, retains the same set of nutrients that it contained fresh. The dried vegetable contains all the important vitamins and minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the body, dietary fiber, which has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes and helps eliminate waste and toxins.

Dried pumpkin gives strength during physical activity, has a positive effect on all organs of the digestive system, and strengthens memory. Moreover, the semi-finished product obtained as a result of drying does not require additional heat treatment. Dried pumpkin contains 1.8 g of protein (2% of the daily value) and 8.4 g of carbohydrates per 100 g of vegetable. Calorie content depends on the type of fruit and is approximately 41 kcal per 100 grams. Thanks to this, pumpkin can be included in various diets, used in the preparation of low-calorie dietary soups, cereals, etc.

Three ways to dry pumpkin

There are three main ways to dry pumpkin at home:

1. Drying pumpkins outdoors is the best option, but indoors in the kitchen is also suitable.
2. Dried pumpkin and fruit - with this method of processing the fruit, the required temperature is maintained, allowing you to preserve the maximum of nutrients.
3. Drying pumpkin in the oven - can be used as an alternative to an electric dryer. If the technology is followed, it also produces tasty and healthy dried vegetables and fruits.

In addition, dried pumpkin can be prepared with sugar or unsweetened, while maintaining the natural taste of the product. We will tell you more about how to dry pumpkin in different ways below.

How to air dry pumpkin

Our grandmothers used this method when they prepared apple, apricot and other dried fruits for the winter. According to this recipe, chopped pumpkin pieces are laid out in one layer on a baking sheet, or better yet, a sieve that will provide good ventilation. After this, the preparation with pieces of vegetables must be taken out into the open air (to the courtyard of the house or to the balcony) and the baking sheet should be placed so that the rays of the sun fall on it. If the weather is good, dried pumpkin will be ready in 2-3 days.

You can also dry the pumpkin in the kitchen. To do this, it is cut into thin slices and hung with a sewing needle on a nylon thread. In this case, the pumpkin will dry under a hood or over a window for about a week.

The dried one proposed above has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, it is difficult to maintain the necessary sterility conditions, since flies will still land on vegetables. Secondly, autumn weather is not always favorable for drying.

How to dry pumpkin in an electric dryer?

The easiest and most convenient way to dry the pumpkin is in a special electric dryer. And although vegetables are dried in it for 12 to 24 hours, this happens without direct human intervention. Just fill the trays with chopped pieces and turn on the device. After 12-20 hours, the dried pumpkin in the dryer will be ready. The temperature in the device is maintained at 55 degrees throughout the entire time.

It is necessary to cut the vegetable for drying into small pieces no more than 3 cm thick. The time the pumpkin spends in the dryer will depend on the size of the cut. Before drying, the pieces can be boiled for 5 minutes in sweet water (100 g of sugar per 1 liter of water). Thanks to this, pumpkin dried in an electric dryer will have a richer taste and brighter color.

Store the finished pumpkin in a glass jar, covered with a cloth and tied with a rubber band. You can also use a special bag made of natural fabric for storage.

Drying pumpkin in the oven

Drying pumpkin in the oven is much faster than in the air, but not as convenient as in an electric dryer. And yet, it is this method of obtaining drying that is used most often by housewives.

Before putting the baking sheet with the pumpkin in the oven, it is recommended to blanch the vegetable cut into pieces by first immersing it in boiling water for 2 minutes and then in cold water. This will help maintain the bright orange color of the pumpkin. The water can be made sweet or slightly salty.

After the water has drained from the pumpkin pieces, thrown into a colander, they must be laid out in one layer on a baking sheet and placed in the oven for 5 hours, where they will dry at a temperature of 60 degrees. After 2 hours, increase the temperature to 80 degrees and continue drying the vegetable for another 2 hours. Then turn off the oven and leave the baking sheet in it until it cools completely.

Dried pumpkin in the oven turns out slightly soft inside. It can be added to sweet pastries, milk porridges, or eaten instead of sweets with tea.

Dried sweet pumpkin

The whole advantage of this recipe is that you can get not only sweet pumpkin, which can easily replace candy, but also bright and aromatic pumpkin syrup. It is recommended to dry the orange vegetable according to this recipe in the following order:

1. Place pumpkin pieces (1 kg) about 3 cm thick in a saucepan, add a glass of sugar, cover with a flat plate and put pressure on top, for example a three-liter jar of water. Place the pan in the refrigerator overnight.
2. After the specified time, pour the juice into a separate jar and save it for syrup. Cover the pumpkin pieces with sugar again and put the pan in the refrigerator for another 10 hours.
3. After the time has passed, remove the pumpkin, pour the preserved juice into the pan and boil it, adding sugar to taste. Boil the juice for 10 minutes, then add pumpkin pieces to it and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, without allowing the syrup to boil.
4. Place the pumpkin in a colander or sieve, after which the juice can be preserved.
5. When all the excess liquid has drained from the pumpkin, the pieces can be dried using any of the methods suggested above.

Candied pumpkin in an electric dryer

In an electric dryer you can prepare healthy vegetables that are in no way inferior in taste to natural “sweets” made from pineapple, bananas and other fruits. At the same time, in order to improve the taste of candied fruits, it is recommended to additionally use spices (cinnamon, cloves, ginger). Dried pumpkin also goes well with citrus fruits (lemons, oranges).

To prepare candied fruits according to this recipe you will need 0.5 kg of pumpkin, a glass of sugar and the peel of 1 orange. First, the vegetable must be cut into pieces, then sprinkled with sugar and left in this form for several hours so that the pumpkin releases its juice. After a while, you need to add the diced peels to it and put the pan on the fire. Boil the pumpkin for 5 minutes, then remove the pan from the stove and leave the mixture to steep for 6 hours. After the specified time, boil the pumpkin again for 5 minutes, and then let it brew again for 3 hours.

Then place the vegetable pieces on trays previously covered with parchment and leave in an electric dryer for 6 hours. After the specified time, the candied fruits will be ready.

Pumpkin chips

You can make thin dry pumpkin sheets either in the oven or in an electric dryer, but it is preferable to use the second drying option. You need to start the process of processing vegetables with baking. To do this, the pumpkin is cut into several large pieces, the seeds are removed from it, and the vegetable itself is sent directly with the peel to the oven, heated to 170 degrees. Baking time depends on the size of the chopped pieces and is 20-40 minutes.

After the vegetable is ready, it must be cooled and with a spoon, remove all the pulp right down to the peel. One pumpkin weighing 2 kg yields about 2 cups of pulp. You need to spread it on the tray of the electric dryer in a thin layer, about a glass per baking sheet. The pumpkin will dry for 16 hours at a temperature of 55 degrees. The result is thin orange sheets. Dried pumpkin in the dryer turns out to be quite fragile, so it easily breaks into pieces. This produces chips that store well in a glass jar.

Pumpkin powder

The resulting leaves from drying the pulp can be used in preparing dishes directly in this form, or they can be used to make pumpkin powder. To do this, chips dried according to the previous recipe must be crushed in a coffee grinder or electric meat grinder with a special attachment. If the grinding is too coarse, the powder must be sifted through a fine sieve and then crushed again.

Dried pumpkin, the recipe for which involves drying pieces rather than pulp, can also be used to make pumpkin powder. Only you will need to first hold it in an electric dryer for 4 hours so that the pieces become hard inside. It is almost impossible to turn a soft pumpkin into powder.

What dishes can you prepare from dried pumpkin?

Dried pumpkin in the form of unsweetened pieces is most often used to make pureed soups. To do this, it is boiled in salted water, where it increases in volume several times. After this, other vegetables are added to the soup, and at the very end of cooking, it is pureed using a blender. Sweet candied fruits are usually added to baked goods along with other dried fruits.

Dried winter pumpkin has found even greater use in the form of pumpkin powder. It is used in the preparation of absolutely any dishes. To do this, the powder is first soaked in water (1 cup of water per ¼ cup of powder), and then added directly to the dish. You can use the powder directly in dry form, using it as a breading for meat and fish, or adding it to flour, making it brighter and the dough tastier.

Dark chocolate with candied fruits and dried apricots

This is a great way to make an ordinary one more useful. To do this, its taste is enriched with candied pumpkin, dried apricots, raisins and dried seeds.

For preparing candied fruits, a recipe for dried pumpkin (sweet) will be relevant. Dried apricots and raisins (50 g each) must be soaked for a few minutes in warm water and then dried on a paper towel. Dry the pumpkin seeds in the oven at 160 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring constantly so as not to burn. On a sheet of parchment, draw a square with sides of 20 cm to indicate the boundaries of the future chocolate bar.

Then you need to melt the chocolate (200 g) in a water bath. Pour it onto parchment, sprinkle candied fruits, dried apricots and raisins on top, as well as pumpkin seeds, peeled or not. Cool the chocolate for 2 hours. Then cut into pieces and store in the refrigerator.

Healthy banana and pumpkin candies

To prepare such sweets, you will also need pumpkin pulp (0.5 kg), baked in the oven. Then add sugar to taste and puree using a blender. The resulting puree is spooned onto a marshmallow tray in an electric dryer (about 6 tablespoons), distributed evenly in a thin layer and dried for 12 hours. During this time, the sheets will not become dry, as when preparing chips. They will be soft and pliable. They are rolled into a tube, which is then cut into portions.

Homemade dried pumpkin candies are moderately sweet and very healthy. They can be given to children starting from the age of one.

Dried pumpkin pkhali: Georgian cuisine

Pkhali (mkhali) is a dish of Georgian cuisine that can be prepared from any vegetables, meat, fish or offal, but the dressing is always the same. Dried pumpkin is always used for pumpkin pkhali. It is boiled in salted water, then drained in a colander and allowed to drain off excess liquid. After this, the pumpkin is cut into small pieces.

The dressing is always prepared from the same ingredients. To do this, use walnuts (2 cups), cilantro, celery and dill, utskho-suneli (1 teaspoon), garlic (3 cloves), vinegar (3 tablespoons). Next, the pumpkin is mixed with the dressing and allowed to brew for about an hour. During this time, the pumpkin absorbs all the liquid from the sauce and may become too dry. If necessary, you can add a little water to the snack.

Details

Pumpkin has many beneficial properties and should be included periodically in your diet. Any pumpkin dishes turn out very tasty and healthy. Today we want to tell you some more delicious pumpkin recipes. Dried pumpkin in the oven will surprise you with its taste, prepare it for your family and surprise it with a delicious delicacy. The recipes we provide are proven, so follow our recommendations carefully and you will end up with a delicious delicacy.

Delicious dried pumpkin in the oven

Required ingredients:

• pumpkin – 1 kg;
• granulated sugar – 150 g.

Required ingredients for syrup:

• granulated sugar – 250 g;
• purified water – 320 ml.

Cooking process:

Take the pumpkin, rinse it thoroughly and dry it. Then cut and select the seeds. Cut the pumpkin into thick strips.

Place the pieces in a container and sprinkle with sugar. Leave the vegetable at 20 degrees for 15 hours to obtain juice.

Then prepare the syrup. Bring the water to a boil, add sugar and let the water boil again. Now transfer the pumpkin with the juice into a baking dish and pour in the hot syrup.

Place in the oven, preheated to 85 degrees, and bake the pumpkin for eight minutes. Then drain the syrup and place the pumpkin on a baking sheet. Place back in the oven at the same temperature for another thirty minutes.

Salted dried pumpkin in the oven

Required ingredients:

• pumpkin – 1 kg;
• salt - to taste;
• purified water.

Cooking process:

Rinse the pumpkin, peel and cut into large cubes. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and add salt to taste, blanch each piece of pumpkin for no more than two minutes to preserve the natural color of the product.

Place the blanched pumpkin in ice water and wait until it cools. Next, turn on the oven to 60 degrees and place the pieces on a wire rack or baking sheet. Dry the pumpkin for ten minutes.

Then we raise the temperature to 80 degrees and hold until fully cooked. This dried pumpkin can be added to soups, porridges and for filling a variety of pies. Store dried pumpkin in a cool, dry place.

Dried pumpkin with apples in the oven

Required ingredients:

• pumpkin – 1 kg;
• apples – 1 kg;
• granulated sugar – 400 g.

Cooking process:

Thoroughly wash the pumpkin and apples, remove the skin and select the seeds. Cut into large cubes and place in a deep container. Add sugar to the ingredients and mix.

Place pressure on top and let sit for ten hours to release the juice. Pour the resulting juice into a saucepan, bring to a boil and consume as desired at any time or preserve for the winter in sterilized jars.

Place the pumpkin and apples on a baking sheet and dry in an oven preheated to 60 degrees. Place the dried pumpkin and apples in a glass container and store in a cool, dry place.

Dried pumpkin with powdered sugar in the oven

Required ingredients:

• pumpkin – 1 kg;
• butter - for greasing the baking sheet;
• powdered sugar - to taste.

Cooking process:

Wash the pumpkin thoroughly, peel and cut. Remove the seeds and cut the pumpkin into large pieces. Take out a baking sheet and grease it with butter, lay out the pumpkin pieces and sprinkle with powdered sugar to your taste. Place the baking sheet in the oven.

We dry the pumpkin at 70 degrees. We monitor the process, if you are satisfied with the resulting product, remove the dried pumpkin from the oven and cool. This pumpkin can be added to pies or simply eaten as desired at any time.

Enjoy your meal.