How to rehydrate dried vegetables | Tips for miso soup, salads, and stir-fries

What you will learn from this article

• Basic ways to rehydrate dried vegetables (water and hot water)
• Rough rehydration times by vegetable
• Techniques by use (miso soup, salad, stir-fry)
• Tips for using them without losing nutrients

The basic way to rehydrate dried vegetables

The thing first-time users of dried vegetables puzzle over most is "how do I rehydrate them?" But it is actually very simple.

Water rehydration (basic)

1. Put the dried vegetables in a bowl
2. Pour in plenty of water (3-5 times the volume of the vegetables)
3. Leave for 5-20 minutesThat's all
4. Drain in a colander and use

Hot-water rehydration (quicker)

1. Put the dried vegetables in a heatproof container
2. Pour in boiling water
3. Done in 3-10 minutesand it's ready
4. Drain in a colander and use

Hot-water rehydration is faster, butif you want to retain more nutrients, water rehydration is recommended. With boiling water, B vitamins leach out somewhat more easily.

Using them as is

For miso soup or soups,you can put them straight into the pot without rehydrating. They rehydrate naturally while simmering. This is the easiest way, and nothing is wasted since the nutrients dissolve into the broth.

Rough rehydration times by vegetable

Shiitake takes a long time to rehydrate, butthe soaking liquid itself becomes an umami-rich dashi. Don't throw it away — use it straight in your cooking.

Techniques by use

Miso soup and soups (the easiest)

Miso soup is the "king of uses" for dried vegetables.

How to: once the dashi is boiling, add the dried vegetables directly. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, dissolve in the miso, and it's done.

Recommended combination:
– spinach + tofu + leek
– cabbage + carrot + fried tofu
– daikon + leek + wakame

The key is toDried vegetables expand more than you'd expect— so start with a small amount and learn the right quantity over time. About one-tenth the weight of fresh vegetables is a good guide.

Salad (water rehydration required)

When using them in a salad, water rehydration is a must.

How to: after water rehydration, squeeze out the moisture firmly. Toss with dressing, or mix with fresh vegetables.

Recommended: kiriboshi-daikon salad is a classic. It pairs beautifully with mayonnaise or Chinese-style dressing.

Stir-fry

Stir-fry the water-rehydrated dried vegetables in a frying pan.

How to: water-rehydrate → drain → stir-fry in oil → season

Point: at the rehydration stage, leaving themslightly firm (80% rehydrated)gives just the right texture when stir-fried. Fully rehydrating them before stir-frying tends to make them soggy.

Simmered and hot-pot dishes

For simmered dishes or hot pots, just add them in without rehydrating.

How to: simply add them to the pot along with the other ingredients and simmer. The dried vegetables absorb moisture and rehydrate naturally.

Point: for dishes with little cooking liquid, account for the moisture they absorb anduse a bit more liquid.

A quick add-on to cup noodles and instant foods

This is a "hack" way to use dried vegetables, and the one that comes in most handy at the office.

How to: before pouring hot water into cup noodles or cup soup, just add a pinch of dried vegetables.

The vegetables rehydrate while you wait the three minutes, so you can add vegetables with zero effort. It dramatically improves the nutritional balance of a convenience-store lunch.

Three tips for not losing nutrients

Tip 1: Don't throw away the soaking liquid

Water-soluble vitamins and minerals dissolve out into the water-rehydration liquid. For miso soup or soups,adding the soaking liquid straight into the potis best.

Tip 2: Avoid long cooking

Over-simmering makes vitamins break down more easily. For miso soup,adding them just before eating and simmering for 2-3 minutesis plenty.

Tip 3: Eat them with oil

β-carotene (in carrots, etc.) and vitamin E are fat-soluble, so eating them with oil boosts absorption. Drizzling a little sesame oil into miso soup is also effective.

FAQ

Q1: What happens if you over-rehydrate them?

Soaking them in water too long makes the texture overly soft and soggy. It also increases the amount of water-soluble nutrients that leach out. Keep to the guideline times and drain them as soon as they're rehydrated.

Q2: Can you store them after rehydrating if there's some left over?

You can keep them in the fridge for 1-2 days, but the quality drops. As a basic rule,rehydrate only what you'll useis recommended. Since they keep for a long time in their dried state — that's the strength of dried vegetables — rehydrating each time tastes better.

Q3: How much dried vegetable equals the same amount of fresh vegetable?

As a rough guide,10 g of dried vegetables = about 100 g of fresh vegetables. Adding a pinch (3-5 g) to a bowl of miso soup works out to the nutrients of 30-50 g of fresh vegetables.

Q4: Can they be used for baby food?

Yes. Mashing dried vegetables rehydrated until soft makes an easy vegetable baby food. For babies, though, choose additive-free, domestically grown ones, and try any vegetable your baby is eating for the first time in a small amount.

Q5: Can the soaking liquid from dried vegetables be used as dashi?

Shiitake soaking liquid is rich in the umami compound guanylic acid and makes a fine dashi. The soaking liquid of other vegetables also contains a faint vegetable umami, so you can use it as a soup base.

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