Kitchen Tips: How To Blanch Carrots

You may come across a recipe that directs you to blanch one of the components before proceeding with the preparation, such as peeling, stir-frying, or adding it to a salad. A good recipe will not only tell you to blanch the thing but will also briefly explain and describe what you are supposed to do (and perhaps why you need to do it). But not everything in the world is as it should be, including recipes. So, what exactly is blanching? Blanching is a food preparation technique that involves temporarily immersing food in a hot liquid, such as boiling water or oil, frequently but not always as a preliminary to further cooking. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are the most commonly blanched items, each for distinct reasons. It could be to soften it, relax the skin to enable peeling it simpler, or just enhance the colour.

1. Scrub fresh carrots thoroughly under cold running water to remove any surface dirt. Remove the green tops from the entire carrots before cooking. Though peeling is not required, you can use a vegetable peeler to remove the carrot's outer shell.
2. Blanching whole carrots, with the exception of small carrots, will take longer and be more difficult to guarantee that the carrots are cooked evenly. Instead, dice or cut carrot slices uniformly with a sharp knife, mandolin, or food processor.
3. Fill a big dish halfway with cold water and ice cubes before beginning the blanching process. After the carrots have finished boiling, immediately place them in freezing water.
4. Fill a big pot halfway with water and add one to two tablespoons of salt. Bring the water to a boil in a pot on the stove over high heat. To the kettle of boiling water, add four cups of raw carrots. Set a timer for three minutes if using sliced carrots and five minutes if using whole baby carrots.
5. With a slotted spoon, remove the cooked carrots from the pot and immediately place them in the ice bath to stop them from cooking.
6. Remove the carrots from the ice bath, drain them in a colander, and arrange them in a single layer on top of paper towels. To get the carrots as dry as possible, pat them with more paper towels or a clean dish rag.