Four types of vegetables for cold dishes, you need to know this!
If you want to eat vegetables raw, it's best to choose pollution-free green vegetables or organic vegetables. Vegetables grown in soilless cultivation can also be eaten raw without worry. Vegetables that can be eaten raw after a simple wash include carrots, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and the heart of Chinese cabbage.
It's best to blanch them in boiling water before eating
Nutrients in these vegetables, such as vitamin C and B vitamins, are easily destroyed by processing and cooking. Eating them raw helps preserve these nutrients. Methods for eating raw include drinking fresh homemade vegetable juices or making cold salads with fresh vegetables, to which you can add a little vinegar and a little salt. However, not every vegetable is suitable for eating raw. Some vegetables are best blanched in boiling water before eating, while others must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
First category: Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower are rich in nutrients. They taste better after blanching, and their abundant fiber is also easier to digest.
Second category: Vegetables high in oxalic acid
Vegetables high in oxalic acid, such as spinach, bamboo shoots, and water bamboo, contain oxalic acid which combines with calcium in the intestines to form calcium oxalate, a substance that is difficult to absorb and interferes with the body's calcium absorption. Therefore, you must blanch them in boiling water before making a salad to remove most of the oxalic acid.
Blanching thoroughly removes dust and small insects, preventing allergic reactions.
Third category: Mustard vegetables
Mustard vegetables, such as turnips, contain a substance called glucosinolate. When hydrolyzed, it produces volatile mustard oil, which can promote digestion and absorption.
Fourth category: Wild vegetables like purslane
Wild vegetables like purslane need to be blanched to thoroughly remove dust and small insects to prevent allergic reactions.
In addition, before eating vegetables like lettuce and water chestnuts raw, it's best to peel them, wash them, and then blanch them in boiling water. This is more hygienic and won't affect the taste or nutritional content.
Of course, not all vegetables can be used for cold dishes. Starchy vegetables like potatoes, taro, and Chinese yams must be cooked, otherwise their starch granules won't break down, and the human body cannot digest them. Kidney beans contain large amounts of saponins and hemagglutinins. If not thoroughly cooked, they can cause poisoning. Kidney beans should be cooked for a long time, not a short one, until they are fully cooked and their color changes, before they can be safely eaten. Bean sprouts are best stir-fried. Even if used in a cold dish, they must be cooked first.