Shiitake mushroomsBlack fungusHow to soak, food preservation techniques

How to chooseIngredients？How to preserve ingredients?How to prepare common ingredients?

Preservation methods:

Pork: In winter, without flies, pork can be salted and hung up to make dried meat, which can last at least half a month.

Beef: Wrap beef in cling film or a plastic bag.You can cut it into small pieces after buying, package them separately for later use, and only take out what you need when needed.If repeatedly frozen and thawed, the beef will quickly become unappetizing.

Leafy greens: After bringing the vegetables home, do not wash them immediately. Instead, lightly dampen with water by hand and store in a plastic bag or wrap in cling film before refrigerating.In winter, they can be stored on the ground; this method can preserve them for at least one week.

Eggs：Tomatoes contain lycopene. Eggs are called the "protein warehouse."Proteincompleting each other well in stir-fried tomatoes, which is a great example of complementary nutrients.While rich in nutrition, it also has benefits for fitness and anti-aging.Chicken meat

: It can be paired with high-nutrition ingredients like ginseng, astragalus, red dates, goji berries, etc., steamed together. This is a suitable dish for families with elders or young children during the New Year.It's generally better to choose free-range chickens and pair them with mushrooms.Roasted chestnuts are also a good choice, as chicken nourishes the spleen and blood while chestnuts strengthen it; they complement each other well for enhanced absorption of nutrients and increased hematopoietic function.Fish meat: The best way to prepare fish is by steaming. This retains all its nutritional value, and drinking fish soup is also very good.Muttoncan be paired with fish for a "fish and mutton are fresh" combination, suitable for cooking together in a hotpot.Tofuwhen combined with fish, due to the high calcium content in tofu and the vitamin D content in fish. Together they significantly enhance calcium absorption, making it particularly beneficial for middle-aged people, teenagers, and pregnant women.Tofu has functions like invigorating the body and replenishing deficiencies.When paired with meat or egg dishes, its nutritional value can be fully demonstrated since tofu alone may have lower protein utilization. However, combining it with meats or eggs increases the nutrient absorption of the tofu.Additionally, tofu promotes iodine excretion in the body; sea kelp is rich in iodine. Together they enhance nutritional efficiency.[Tip]Some dishes should not be eaten coldNew Year's Evematters as per old traditions that New Year's Eve meals are to be enjoyed until the 15th day for "yearly surplus" luck, but in fact, many dishes are not suitable for consumption after being stored overnight.The first dish not meant for storage is crabs; if left over, they easily breed bacteria and may cause food poisoning if kept too long.Do not pack vegetables from restaurants.Generally, fresh fish can be reheated but seawater fish will become tough when stored for a long time.Sweet potatoes

can be soaked in water around 70-80 degrees Celsius half an hour before cooking.Black fungus: In winter, soak it with water at about 40-50 degrees Celsius to keep the texture crispier.Mushrooms and yellow flowerscan be soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes.How to salt fish and meat?Salted fish: Evenly coat fish with fine salt, layer them in a container, cover with a layer of salt on top, and wrap with gauze to prevent fly eggs. After three days, it's ready for consumption.Salted meat: Rub the seasoned and cooled ingredients like Sichuan pepper and salt into the meat until it turns dark. Pack it along with the remaining salt in a large container, sealed or weighted down.Marrowfat preparation requires low outdoor temperatures; high temperatures lead to spoilage. Ensure ventilation and shade during drying; best on snowy windy days.Approximately one week is sufficient.How to prepare common ingredients?

Taro starch: Soak it in water around 70-80 degrees Celsius about half an hour before cooking.Black fungus: In winter, soak it with warm water at 40-50 degrees Celsius; this keeps the texture crispier.Mushrooms and yellow flowerscan be soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes.Teach you how to salt fish, meat, and small dishes.

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Salted fish: Evenly rub with fine salt all over, layer it in a container, cover the top with salt, wrap with gauze to prevent flies from laying eggs. After three days, it's ready for consumption.

Salted meat: Rub the seasoned and cooled Sichuan pepper and salt into the meat until it turns dark, with liquid seeping out. Pack in a large container with remaining salt sealed or weighted down.

Marrowfat preparation requires low outdoor temperatures; high temperatures lead to spoilage. Ensure ventilation and shade during drying; best on snowy windy days.Approximately one week is sufficient.How to prepare common ingredients?Pickled vegetables: Traditionally, pickled mustard greens, shredded cabbage, and snow peas are made by washing them thoroughly then blanching in boiling water. Remove from heat immediately after adding salt or small seasonings for preservation.For green vegetables, use more salt.，Crab meatis all inside the empty shells, if left overnight it can easily develop bacteria and over time may cause food poisoning.When dining at a hotel, vegetables cannot be packed for later.Additionally, freshwater fish are generally better to heat up before eating, such as those who like to eat their fish raw, while sea fish will become tough if left for too long.

How common ingredients should be soaked

Sweet potatostarch: Before cooking, soak in water around 70-80 degrees Celsius for about half an hour.

Mushroom: In winter, soak in warm water at 40-50 degrees Celsius; the mushrooms will be crispier when eaten.

Shiitake mushroom andyellow flower: Soak in warm water, approximately for about 10 minutes is enough.

How to marinate fish, meat, and small dishes

Marinating fish: Evenly rub with fine salt all over the fish body, then layer by layer spread flat in a basin. Spread another layer of surface salt on top, cover with gauze to prevent fly eggs from contaminating and spoiling it, marinate for 3 days.

Marinating meat: After stir-frying and cooling down,Sichuan pepperand salt are rubbed vigorously onto the meat until its color turns dark and liquid oozes out. Then pack the meat with the remaining salt into a large container, cover with paper or press down with a stone.When marinating meat, it requires low outdoor temperature; otherwise, it is likely to spoil easily. It should be placed in a well-ventilated and shady place during exposure to sunlight; the best time is on snowy windy days.It will take about a week.

Marinating small dishes: During the New Year, some people would marinatepickled mustardheads, radish, andChinese cabbageetc., with simple common methods such as washing thoroughly, blanching in boiling water for a moment, then removing from heat, adding salt or small ingredients to pickle.For green vegetables, use more salt.