Vinegar is a common condiment in many households, but few people know exactly which dishes require it during cooking. In this issue, I will summarize the "perfect matches for vinegar" to guide everyone on how to "eat vinegar" wisely.
Perfect Match 1: Purple-red Vegetables
Vegetables like eggplant and purple cabbage are rich in anthocyanins, a plant compound with strong antioxidant properties that helps eliminate free radicals and reduce inflammation in the body. Anthocyanins appear as a beautiful purple-red in acidic conditions but turn blue or black in alkaline environments. Therefore, when stir-frying purple cabbage, eggplant, or making salads with heart-shaped purple radishes, adding a little vinegar can make the dish's color brighter and more vibrant.
Perfect Match 2: Vegetables Rich in Vitamin C
Similar to anthocyanins, vitamin C is stable in an acidic environment. Therefore, when cooking dishes rich in vitamin C, such as shredded potatoes or bean sprouts, adding a little vinegar can effectively reduce nutrient loss. In addition, adding vinegar makes shredded potatoes and bean sprouts crispier. However, it should be noted that you should not add vinegar when cooking green vegetables like bok choy or Chinese cabbage, as it will cause them to turn yellow and wilt.
Perfect Match 3: Vegetables Rich in Polyphenols
Sliced lotus root or potatoes quickly turn brown. This is because the polyphenolic substances in them oxidize under the catalysis of polyphenol oxidase. Acid can inhibit the activity of polyphenol oxidase. Therefore, sliced lotus root or potatoes can be soaked in clear water with added vinegar to prevent discoloration.
Perfect Match 4: Cold Salads
Adding vinegar to cold salads has several benefits: first, it can stimulate the appetite, acting on the taste buds and gastric juice secretion to aid digestion and absorption; second, vinegar has good antibacterial properties, which can effectively prevent intestinal diseases and reduce the production of nitrites; third, it can largely protect vitamins C and B from being destroyed and promote the absorption of calcium and iron ions; fourth, the sour taste of vinegar can increase the sensitivity of taste buds to saltiness, thereby reducing the amount of salt used.
Perfect Match 5: Meat Dishes Rich in Calcium, Such as Pork Ribs
Animal bones are rich in calcium, but this calcium mainly exists in a compound form that is not easily dissolved during stewing. When stewing small fish or pork rib soup, adding vinegar can help dissolve the calcium from the bones, making it easier for the body to absorb.
Braised Pork Ribs
Perfect Match 6: Foods with Strong Odors
Vinegar has the effect of removing odors. For example, adding vinegar when stewing fish or meat can remove the fishy smell and enhance the aroma; adding some vinegar when stir-frying kidney can reduce the gamy odor; adding vinegar when cooking mutton helps to remove the strong smell.
Perfect Match 7: Foods That Are Difficult to Cook Tender
When stewing kelp, you can add vinegar because kelp contains colloids such as alginic acid, which are insoluble in water. Adding vinegar can break down these colloids that block water from entering, allowing the kelp to become tender quickly.