Can Chinese toon be put in the refrigerator?

Chinese toon is rich in nutrients and can be used with many ingredients to make dishes. The preparation method is simple and convenient, and it is loved by many people. However, Chinese toon is only available in large quantities during the Spring Festival every year when all things come back to life. Many people especially like to eat Chinese toon, so they will buy more in spring. Generally, at this time, the Chinese toon will be blanched and stored in the refrigerator.

Can Chinese toon be put in the refrigerator?

Toona sinensis is a seasonal vegetable, and many people like to freeze it and eat it throughout the year. However, the Chinese toon must be blanched before quick-freezing. Research data shows that blanching for 50 seconds before freezing not only greatly improves safety but also better preserves vitamin C. After being frozen for 2 months, the vitamin C content in the blanched toon was equivalent to 71% of the fresh product, while that in the unblanched product was only 35%. At the same time, whether in terms of color or flavor, it is more ideal to blanch and then freeze. After blanching, put it into a sealed plastic bag and place it in the freezer. It can be stored for more than 1 month and maintain its green color and aroma.

How to preserve Chinese toon

Blanching

The nitrite content in fresh toon buds just picked from the tree is not high, but once they leave the tree, the nitrite content will gradually increase. Nitrite is easily soluble in water, so no matter how you eat it, it is recommended to blanch the toon first. This can remove most of the nitrite and greatly improve safety.

Refrigeration

Wash the toon sprouts, blanch them in boiling water, drain the moisture and divide them into small portions, wrap them with several layers of plastic wrap, seal them in a plastic bag, and then freeze them in the refrigerator. Thaw them as you eat them. The toon leaves will still be green and fragrant. This method can keep them fresh for several months.

Freezing method

Wrap the freshly picked toon sprouts with plastic wrap and then freeze them in the freezer of the refrigerator (note that it is the freezer, not the fresh-keeping room). There is no need to worry that the toon sprouts will be frozen. When you are ready to eat them, take them out of the freezer in advance and place them at room temperature to thaw. Before long, the toon sprouts will be as fresh as when they were just picked.

Salting method

Wash the toon, blanch it in boiling water, drain the water and sprinkle with salt, mix well, put it in a container, and place it in the refrigerator or a cool place. The nitrate content can be greatly reduced by blanching the toon leaves before pickling them. The safest way is to pickle the blanched toon for a week before eating it after the nitrite content is reduced.