How to store Chinese toon sprouts for longer? Master these two preservation methods

“Tree vegetable” Chinese toon shoots are the tender shoots of the Chinese toon tree, native to China and distributed across a wide area north and south of the Yangtze River. The tree is tall, and besides providing toon shoots for eating, it is also a preferred tree species for landscaping. What are the efficacy and effects of Chinese toon shoots? What are the storage methods?How to cook them deliciously?

I. Efficacy and effects of Chinese toon shoots

1. Appetizing and strengthening the spleen

Chinese toon is a famous seasonal delicacy, containing volatile aromatic organic compounds such as toonin, which can strengthen the spleen, appetize, and increase appetite.

2. Expelling parasites and treating ringworm

Chinese toon has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and insecticidal effects, and can be used to treat ascariasis, sores and ringworm, scabies, and other diseases.

3. Anti-aging and beautifying

It contains vitamin E and sex hormone substances, has anti-aging and yang-tonifying and yin-nourishing effects, hence the laudatory name “pregnancy-promoting hormone”, and also has a very good skin-lubricating effect, making it a good food for health care and beauty.

4. Clearing heat and draining dampness

Chinese toon has the effects of clearing heat, draining dampness, promoting urination, and detoxifying, and is a good medicine for the auxiliary treatment of enteritis, dysentery, and urinary system infections. Hence the folk saying “often eating Chinese toon shoots keeps illness away”.

5. Astringing blood, stopping dysentery, and stopping uterine bleeding

Chinese toon can dry dampness and clear heat, astringe and consolidate, and can be used for chronic diarrhea and chronic dysentery, intestinal hemorrhoids with bloody stools, uterine bleeding and leukorrhea, and other conditions.

II. Storage methods for Chinese toon shoots

Method one:

Nowadays we mostly use this method: the freshly picked Chinese toon is washed, then blanched briefly in hot water, until the Chinese toon turns from red to green. Remove, soak in cold water for a few minutes. Then squeeze out the water. Divide into portions, put into freezer bags, roll them up, and seal. Put directly into the freezer. This way it can likewise be stored for half a year, and after thawing the Chinese toon flavor is full, with little difference from fresh.

After blanching, the flesh of the Chinese toon is already cooked, and the cells have a certain extensibility; the water inside the cells expands during freezing, producing ice crystals. If it is frozen directly without blanching, the ice crystals easily pierce the cell walls, and after thawing the Chinese toon will collapse flat, and the color will also darken, no longer fresh.

Method two:

Long ago, when people had no refrigerators, they mostly used this pickling method: the freshly picked Chinese toon is not washed, put into an oil-free and water-free container, salt is added directly, and a little more can be added, and the Chinese toon and salt are rubbed evenly by hand. Place in a cool place to pickle for about 1 week, then spread out to air-dry for a few days. After that, it can be put into a plastic bag and sealed for storage. This way it can be stored for half a year without problem. Before eating, first soak it open, then blanch it briefly in water. It can be used to fry Chinese toon fish, scramble with eggs, and so on.

You can choose Chinese toon shoots that have a ‘stalk’ and are relatively larger, so that the pickled Chinese toon is very chewy when eaten; although not fresh enough, it nonetheless has a distinctive flavor.

III.How to cook Chinese toon shoots deliciously?

(I) Scrambled eggs with Chinese toon

1. Prepare eggs, Chinese toon tips, oil, salt, and cornstarch; then crack the eggs into a bowl and stir evenly, and thoroughly wash the Chinese toon clean

2. Then put the Chinese toon into boiling water and blanch for one minute, remove, rinse briefly with cold water, squeeze out the water, and cut into fine pieces; then add the starch to the Chinese toon and stir evenly

3. Then pour in the egg liquid and continue to stir evenly; then heat the pan and pour in oil, pour in the egg liquid, fry over medium heat until one side turns golden brown, then turn over and fry the other side until golden brown, then break it up with a spatula and dish out.

(II) Cold-dressed Chinese toon

1. After blanching the Chinese toon, rinse it in cold water and squeeze out the water;

2. Add salt and olive oil, and mix evenly;

3. You can add almonds, walnut kernels, or fried peanuts according to your own taste, or add nothing at all.