Processing Technology for Water Chestnut Products and Health-Promoting Flavored Oil from Edible Fungi

The water chestnut is a perennial herbaceous plant; its edible underground stem is flat and round, with a reddish-brown or dark brown skin and white flesh. Deep processing of water chestnut products can increase their economic value. The processing technologies for these products are described below:

(1) Water chestnut flour Select fresh water chestnuts, discard the damaged and rotten ones, wash them clean with water, cut off the tail ends, mash them, add an equal amount of water, crush them with a grinder, then filter the slurry through gauze to remove the residue. After the water chestnut flour settles, pour off the clear water on top, spread 1 to 2 layers of cotton cloth over the flour, and use clean, dry bricks or tiles to absorb the remaining water. Then take out the semi-dry water chestnut flour, sun-dry it, and grind it into powder.

(2) Water chestnut candy Wash and peel the water chestnuts, cut them in half, add water and precook; after the water comes to a boil, keep it boiling for 7 to 8 minutes, then remove them, rinse with cold water, and drain off the water. Then, at a ratio of 3 to 3.5 kg of white sugar per 1 kg of water chestnuts, mix the ingredients and cook while stirring constantly so that the upper and lower layers are heated evenly. During cooking, drip a little clear water down the side of the pot to prevent burning. When the syrup produced by cooking forms beads when dropped into cold water, switch to low heat and continue cooking until the sugar coating on the water chestnut slices becomes translucent and the concentration reaches above 60%. Then place the pot in a cool place, immediately spread the contents onto a container, and let cool to finish.

(3) Water chestnut cake Recipe: 1.5 kg peeled water chestnuts, 1.3 kg white granulated sugar, 95 g water chestnut flour, a little milk powder, 95 g cornmeal, 4 egg yolks, 63 g raw oil, 1.5 kg clear water. Method: Cut the peeled water chestnuts into fine pieces or mash them into a paste. Mix the water chestnut flour and cornmeal with clear water to make a batter. Beat the egg yolks and set aside. Add 1.5 kg clear water to a pot, add the sugar and water chestnut paste, and heat until melted. Then slowly pour in the batter while stirring constantly, so that the batter in the pot gradually thickens into a cake base. Then evenly add the egg yolks onto the cake base. Take another square tray, coat it with peanut oil or other edible oil, pour the cake into the tray, steam over high heat for 30 minutes until fully cooked, remove, cut into rectangular pieces, and let cool before serving.

2. Processing Method for Health-Promoting Flavored Oil from Edible Fungi

Health-promoting flavored oil from edible fungi retains the unique flavor and aroma of edible fungi. It can not only be used for stir-frying and cooked dishes but also for cold dishes, and it stores well and is easy to carry. The equipment for processing edible fungus oil is simple and the method is easy, making it a very good way to become prosperous.

(1) Raw material selection For the processing oil, oils with a relatively high content of unsaturated fatty acids, such as rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, and palm oil, are better; they can be used alone or mixed for processing. For the oyster mushrooms used in processing, gray varieties are better; for shiitake mushrooms, those cultivated on segment wood or mixed hardwood sawdust are best. Oyster mushrooms should be harvested when the caps have not yet flattened and the spores have not been released; shiitake mushrooms are best when they have a copper-gong edge and the spores have not been released. In addition, do not spray water within 2 to 3 hours before harvest; the containers used for harvesting must not be cloth bags or plastic bags, and the mushrooms must not be stacked under pressure, to prevent heating and spoilage.

(2) Raw material handling When harvesting the mushrooms, use scissors to cut off the section of the stem that has culture material stuck to it; those contaminated with soil or grass debris should be placed separately. Cut the stems and caps separately; cut the stems lengthwise with one cut and place them separately, and tear the caps by hand into 2 to 4 pieces depending on their size.

(3) Frying and separation When frying, the amount of edible fungi added is 40% to 60% of the oil. If the amount added is insufficient, the effect is poor; if the amount added is too high, it will affect the quality of subsequent heating, or produce a burnt smell, or the moisture will not be fully removed and the flavor extraction rate will be low. During operation, heat the oil until it gives off blue smoke, add 2 to 4 sections of scallion, and heat the oil to remove off-flavors. First lower the mushroom stems placed in a metal mesh basket into the pot; at this point the oil temperature can drop from 150°C to 120°C. Turn the heat down, and after two minutes add the mushroom cap pieces, maintaining the oil temperature at 110 to 120°C, stirring slightly, and fry for 6 to 8 minutes. When fried to a brownish-yellow color, immediately remove from the frying basket, quickly cool the oil and oil mushrooms, and then filter through a stainless steel mesh sieve.

(4) Storage and processing Put the separated mushroom oil into small-mouthed bottles, seal them, and store at low temperature. Also, according to people's preferences and dietary habits, when the mushroom oil is removed from the heat, salt, pepper, chili, Sichuan pepper, minced garlic, five-spice powder, and other seasonings can be added to make mushroom oil with a distinctive flavor.