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How to do the initial processing of Gastrodia elata? Detailed methods and steps

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For sale as fresh produce, after harvesting, Gastrodia elata must be kept from being bumped, dropped, or mechanically damaged, then the silt on the tubers should be gently brushed off with a soft brush, and they can be packed into a wooden box or plastic box lined with soft material. If processing dried Gastrodia elata, it takes longer; generally, the boiling method or the steamer method is used for cooking, followed by drying by oven or sun-drying. In actual production, the steamer method and heated kang drying method are generally used to make dried product. The operation process is: grading Gastrodia elata - washing with clean water - steaming over high heat until cooked - heated kang drying at 50°C for 60 minutes, 60°C for 60 minutes, 70

For sale as fresh produce, after harvesting, Gastrodia elata must be kept from being bumped, dropped, or mechanically damaged, then the silt on the tubers should be gently brushed off with a soft brush, and they can be packed into a wooden box or plastic box lined with soft material. If processing dried Gastrodia elata, it takes longer; generally, the boiling method or the steamer method is used for cooking, followed by drying by oven or sun-drying. In actual production, the steamer method and heated kang drying method are generally used to make dried product. The operation process is: grading Gastrodia elata - washing with clean water - steaming over high heat until cooked - heated kang drying at 50°C for 60 minutes, 60°C for 60 minutes, 70°C for 60 minutes, 80°C for heated kang drying until completely dry.

Grading

Grade by weight in 50-gram increments, that is, place and process separately those of 50-99 grams, 100-150 grams, 151-200 grams, and above 201 grams; at the same time, remove diseased tubers, rotten tubers, and other substandard products.

Washing Wash the silt off the surface of the tubers with clean water.

Steaming in a steamer

Put the washed Gastrodia elata into a steamer and steam until cooked. The general method is: after bringing water to a boil over high heat, first put in the largest tubers and steam over high heat for about five or six minutes, then add the second-largest tubers and continue steaming; after five or six minutes, add the third, slightly smaller tubers and steam for another five or six minutes; finally add the small tubers and keep over high heat for five or six minutes, after which all are generally cooked through. Points to note during steaming: each time a new steamer tier of raw tubers is added, the original steamer tier must be lifted up and the new tier placed at the bottom. Check whether they are cooked by whether they are thoroughly cooked and have no hard core.

Heated kang drying

For a brick or adobe heated kang, burn over high heat until the kang surface reaches 50°C, arrange the cooked tubers in a single layer, turn them once every 30 minutes, and raise the temperature by 10°C every 60 minutes; when the maximum temperature of 80°C is reached, do not raise it further, and maintain that temperature until completely dry. Key points of the heated kang drying process: when half-dried, the tubers are very soft; gently press the tubers with a clean, smooth wooden board, with the aim of making them flat and straight, giving them higher transparency, making them easier to break when used, and also making measurement easier; this work can be done along with turning the tubers during the drying process. In addition, to increase commercial value, work can be done carefully from three aspects: first, strict grading. Each cooking and drying operation should involve only one specification of Gastrodia elata, making it easier to control the heat and the operation. Second, after washing the tubers, use a peeling machine to remove the rough outer surface, spots, and so on. Third, during the drying process, subcutaneous bubbles will bulge out on the tubers; these can be pierced with a very fine bamboo needle to release the air, and then smoothed and pressed flat.

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