This is the answer! How to rehydrate dried vegetables deliciously

If you rehydrate vegetables in water, the texture may not be so good if the time is not right, and some vegetables may have a strong flavor. Rehydrating vegetables in hot water or in the microwave saves time, but you may not be able to feel the flavor of the vegetables in the soaking water. Dried vegetables are a convenient preserved food, but rehydrating them is actually a little difficult. Let's master the delicious rehydration method while incorporating some little tips from Japanese cuisine, where dried vegetables were born and raised.

Full of flavour, slowly return to the original state.

The appeal of dried vegetables is not only the flavor and texture that you can't get from raw vegetables, but also the fact that you can make vegetable stock with condensed umami. If you take the time to rehydrate dried vegetables, just like kelp, you can make vegetable stock full of umami. The rehydration method to bring out the umami varies depending on the dish, but since dried vegetables do not require any pre-treatment, it's very easy.

Pickles and other pickled foods

By soaking it in a seasoning liquid made from vinegar, water, and kelp stock for about half a day, you can make a delicious pickled dish. Using vinegar makes it last longer and can be stored at room temperature, so it's perfect as a prepared side dish.

Here is the recipe for how to make red pickled ginger

Tsukudani and simmered foods

The key is to simmer the vegetables slowly over medium heat with seasonings, kelp, water, etc., and when it boils, put it in an airtight container and finish it off using the residual heat. By finishing it off using the residual heat, the vegetables' own broth will seep in and they will soften.

Here is the recipe for boiled Manganji peppers

Miso with dried vegetables

Just put dried vegetables in miso for about half a day and you will have miso with vegetable stock. The recommended dried vegetable for making stock is tomato, which has similar properties to kelp. The sourness of the seeds and the umami of the flesh will make the stock.

Here is the recipe for miso with dried vegetables.

A few tips for using alcohol.

The unpleasant taste of dried vegetables that you may find unpleasant after rehydrating them can be solved with sake, an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine. Sake is the perfect seasoning to make dried vegetables delicious, as it not only softens the taste, but also softens them and brings out their flavor. We recommend using nikiri sake, which is also a secret ingredient in Japanese cuisine.

How to make Nikiri Sake

Put pure rice wine or sake in a pot, cover, and heat over low heat for about 3 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated.

How to make Nikiri Sake

How to store boiled sake

Store any remaining boiled sake in the refrigerator. Once stored, use it up within about a week.

How to use boiled sake

If you sprinkle it on dried vegetables before rehydrating them, lightly rub them in, and leave them to soak for about 10 minutes, the flavor of the vegetables will increase when you cook them and rehydrate them. It is convenient to put the boiled sake in a spray bottle, as it makes it easier to sprinkle it.