Pumpkin in season is delicious and super cheap, but preserving it this way makes the fruit spoil quickly and lose all its nutrients.

GĐXH - Pumpkin is a familiar, nutritious fruit that is in its best season. Many people make mistakes when preserving pumpkin after cutting it, causing this food to spoil quickly, lose nutrients and have to be thrown away, which is a waste.

Pumpkin – cheap, nutritious autumn food

Pumpkin is a familiar food, available in abundance this fall. At markets in Hanoi , according to PV's research, the price ranges from 15,000 - 20,000 VND/kg. For wholesalers, the price will be cheaper.

Many housewives also said that the price of pumpkin is quite cheap and this is also an economical and nutritious choice for family meals. Pumpkin can be processed into many delicious dishes, such as: pumpkin bone soup, stir-fried pumpkin, pumpkin sweet soup, boiled pumpkin,...

Pumpkin is cheaper than many other vegetables at this time. Photo: PT (Taken at La Duong market)

According to Ms. Anh - a trader at La Duong market, pumpkin is available almost all year round, but the best season is still autumn. Because this plant is easy to grow and harvest, the supply is abundant and the price is stable. This fruit is usually not expensive compared to other vegetables, tubers and fruits.

When choosing pumpkins, people should choose pumpkins with bright, deep and dark skin because old pumpkins will taste sweeter. A delicious pumpkin will have a hard, heavy outer skin, clear veins and a fresh stem. Avoid choosing pumpkins that show signs of being rotten or crushed. If buying pumpkins in pieces, choose pumpkin pieces with orange-yellow flesh, a dry surface, not slimy and will have a characteristic aroma.

Choose pumpkins with bright, dark skin because older pumpkins will taste sweeter. Photo: PT

Why shouldn't you put cut fresh pumpkin in the refrigerator immediately?

Pumpkins are usually large, weighing up to several pounds. It is difficult for small families to use up a pumpkin for one or two meals when buying a whole pumpkin. Once a pumpkin has been cut into pieces, it is easy to spoil if not stored properly. Throwing it away would be a waste. Therefore, not everyone knows how to preserve a pumpkin from spoiling after it has been cut.

Many people often think that putting pumpkin in the refrigerator will keep it fresh. In fact, this method makes pumpkin spoil faster. When fresh pumpkin is placed directly in the refrigerator, the pumpkin flesh is exposed to high humidity, easily absorbs moisture, quickly decomposes, becomes slimy and loses nutrients.

How to keep pumpkin from spoiling after cutting?

To preserve pumpkin for a long time without spoiling, still sweet and soft as when just picked, everyone should refer to the following method according to the instructions of Ms. Thu Duyen (Hanoi):

After the pumpkin has been cut into pieces for use in a meal, if you do not use it all, you clean the surface and use a paper towel or dry towel to wipe it clean. After drying, you can cut the pumpkin into large pieces, use a dry spoon to take out all the pumpkin seeds and cores, peel off the skin. During the preparation process, be careful not to let water get on the pumpkin flesh. When finished, cut the pumpkin into small pieces, put them in zip bags according to the amount of food for the family, avoid stuffing them into one bag. If you can vacuum it, that's even better, then put it in the freezer for storage.

To keep the pumpkin delicious after freezing, before putting it in the refrigerator, you can do one more step: put the pumpkin in a steamer until you can easily pierce it with chopsticks. Let the pumpkin cool before putting it in a zip bag, removing the air and storing it in the freezer.

To preserve pumpkin, divide it into bite-sized portions and put them in zip-lock bags. Photo: Thu Duyen

According to Ms. Duyen, pumpkin can be frozen raw or cooked to preserve for a long time. After freezing, you can use it to prepare dishes such as soup, porridge, etc. without defrosting. Or you can also steam or make cakes, which are both good for your health.

Pumpkin is sweet, delicious, good for health for all ages. Eating pumpkin regularly can improve digestive health, strengthen immunity, protect eyesight, slow down the aging process.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/bi-do-vao-mua-ngon-gia-sieu-re-nhung-bao-quan-cach-nay-khien-qua-nhanh-hong-mat-sach-chat-dinh-duong-172250910090128318.htm