You will need to soak or cook your dried foods before using them in recipes. Some foods require soaking and cooking.
Vegetables are usually soaked between 1/2 to 1-1/2 hours and then simmered. Some vegetables can be re-hydrated while they are cooking.
Fruits are soaked, and then cooked in the water they were soaked in. Don’t add extra sugar until the fruit is cooked; otherwise, the fruit may be tough. Fruits are sometimes eaten in their dry state as snacks.
You must remember that after a food is re-hydrated, it may spoil quickly, so use it promptly.
To cook dried food, use the following information and simmer until tender.
- Apples: Add 1 1/2 C. warm water to 1 C. apples and soak for 1/2 hour.
- Beans, green: Add 2 1/4 C. boiling water to 1 C. beans and soak for 1 1/2 hours.
- Beets: Add 2 3/4 C. boiling water to 1 C. beets and soak for 1 1/2 hours.
- Carrots: Add 2 1/4 C. boiling water to 1 C. carrots and soak for 1 hour.
- Corn: Add 2 1/4 C. boiling water to 1 C. Corn and soak for 1/2 hour.
- Onions: Add 2 C. boiling water to 1 C. onions and soak for 1 hour.
- Peaches: Add 2 C. warm water to 1 C. peaches and soak for 1 1/4 hour.
- Pears: Add 1 3/4 C. warm water to 1 C. pears and soak for 1 hour.
- Peas: Add 2 1/2 C. boiling water to 1 C. peas and soak for 1/2 hour.
- Potatoes: Add 1 1/2 C. boiling water to 1 C. potatoes and soak for 1/2 hour.
