"When it comes to picking pumpkins, old age may not necessarily be good. Learn to "look, pinch, pat and smell" to ensure they are fresh, ripe and sweet! 』
Pumpkin is a common vegetable in winter. It is cheap, only a few cents per pound, but its nutritional value is very high. In addition to containing minerals and vitamins, it also contains pectin and pumpkin polysaccharides. Good for your health. Pumpkins are shelf-stable and usually won’t go bad if stored for a month, so it’s a good idea to store more pumpkins at home in winter.
A delicious pumpkin must be soft, glutinous and sweet. The fresher, the better. If you don’t know how to pick, it will probably not taste soft or sweet.
How to choose a pumpkin? Many people say that they should choose "old" ones, but this is actually not true. Let me share with you the experience of pumpkin growers. There are 6 steps to choose a good pumpkin. Each one is accurate. Learn it quickly.
An old farmer teaches you how to choose a pumpkin
The first step is to look at the color
There are two types of pumpkins: yellow skin and green skin. No matter which one you should choose, A pumpkin with a darker color means it is more mature; a pumpkin with a lighter color means it is less mature. Which one is better, young pumpkin or old pumpkin? In fact, they do it differently. Young pumpkin has a crisp texture and is suitable for frying; while old pumpkin has a soft texture and is suitable for boiling and steaming. It is delicious if you choose the right method.
It should be noted that if there are spots, it means that the inside is broken and moldy, so you cannot buy it no matter how cheap it is.
The second step is to look at the skin
Choose pumpkins with regular shapes. Don’t buy pumpkins with weird shapes, as most of them are steroid-injected. The skin is intact, with no wormholes or rot, which means it is a good pumpkin.
The white frost on the skin is the fruit powder secreted by the pumpkin, which will be sweeter. The more ridges on the skin, the more delicious the pumpkin is.
The third step, look at the melon stems
In order to extend the storage time of pumpkins, vegetable farmers usually pick the melon stems. Pinch the melon base with your hands. If it is hard, it means there is enough water and the pumpkin is relatively fresh. There are also ridges on the melon base. The more ridges, the sweeter the pumpkin tastes; the fewer ridges, the sourer the taste. The greener the base of the melon, the fresher the pumpkin.
Step 4: Pinch the rind of the melon
If the rind breaks with a pinch, it means it is a young pumpkin; if the rind does not break, it means it is an old pumpkin. Old pumpkin The skin is harder than that of tender pumpkin.
Step 5: Weigh the pumpkins
The two pumpkins are the same size, so choose the heavier one. The heavier the pumpkin, the higher the water content, the more mature and fresh it is. The lighter ones may not have matured well, or they may have been stored for too long and lost a lot of moisture.
Step 6, pat it
Take the pumpkin in your hand and pat it. If the sound is dull, it means the pumpkin has a tight internal structure and is more mature.
Step 7: Smell
Fresh and ripe pumpkin will exude a light sweetness that is easy to smell. If it smells "raw", it means it's not ripe yet. If there is a sour, musty, or pungent smell, it is either broken or has been drugged to ripen.
When buying pumpkins, remember to "look, pinch, pat and smell" to ensure that the pumpkins are fresh, ripe and sweet.
The pumpkin has sprouted. Should you continue to eat it or throw it away?
Pumpkins are generally larger and cheaper. Many people buy a whole pumpkin. You can't finish the big pumpkin at one time. It needs to be stored at home for a period of time. If the conditions are suitable, it will sprout easily, usually from pumpkin seeds. Should I continue to eat pumpkin like this? The answer is yes.
The temperature at home is relatively high, and the pumpkin seeds will absorb the water of the pumpkin and grow new sprouts. As long as the pumpkin is in good condition and has no mold or insects, it is okay to continue eating it. However, germination requires a lot of water and nutrients, and the taste of pumpkin is not as good as before