Every year in May and June, it is the time when all kinds of melons are on the market, and compared with watermelons, peaches, grapes and other summer fruits, in fact, my favorite is still melon, because melon is not only sweeter than other fruits, but also its unique fragrance and taste, which is incomparable to other fruits, so in my family, I almost, I have to buy melons 2-3 times a week, enough for a family to eat. Although many people love to eat melons, many people buy melons not only bitter, but also not sweet at all, in fact, this is caused by not mastering the skills of picking melons.
At first, when I bought the melon myself, like everyone else, the melon I bought was not only not sweet, but also tasted exceptionally hard, like a cucumber. After that, I personally went to our local melon planting base, and after several senior growers revealed some tips for selecting melons, I knew how to choose sweet and delicious melons.
For example, when you buy melons again, you will find that some of the navels at the bottom of the melons are extremely large, while others are very small, so will the "big navel" and "small navel" have an impact on the taste of the melon? According to the old fruit farmers, it is best to buy melons with a large navel, and a melon with a larger navel usually means that the maturity is higher, and the melon with a higher maturity tends to be sweeter. This is because the melons that are ripe are more likely to accumulate more sugar during growth, which increases the sweetness.
When choosing a melon, in addition to looking at the melon navel, the following four points should also be paid attention to.
Look at the vines: choose green and not yellow
First, let's take a look at the vines of the melon. The vine is the connection between the melon seedlings and the melon, and we can intuitively see the state of the melon from here. When we see that the vine is fresh and well-hydrated, it is firm to the touch, the color is emerald green, and it is covered with fluff, it means that the melon has just been picked. Such melons are full of water, and there is basically no loss of nutrients. Take a bite to ensure that it is sweet and delicious, and the mouth will burst with juice.
But if you find that the vines have become yellow, soft, dry, and have no water at all, or even that the vines have fallen off, then it is obvious that the melons have been picked for a long time, and their water and nutrients will be lost. At this time, when we touch its epidermis, we will even feel a little wrinkled and soft. It is conceivable that such a melon will naturally not taste so moist and juicy. Therefore, when observing vines, we must firmly choose the emerald green ones and avoid the withered ones.
Look at the epidermis: choose yellow instead of green
Next, let's take a look at the color of the melon skin. As the melon matures, its color gradually changes from green to yellow or golden yellow. If we look closely at its color distribution, if we find that its color is uniform, and it is relatively uniform up and down, left and right, it means that the melon is ripe. The melon with high maturity is naturally sweeter and more delicious.
However, if one side of the melon is yellow and the other side is cyan, it means that the yellow side may be the result of being exposed to the sun for a long time, while the green side is relatively raw on the shade side, so the taste may not be ideal.
Of course, if it is a variety such as cantaloupe, we need to pay special attention to whether there are reticulated cracks on its surface. This is a very significant sign, if there is a reticular crack, it means that it has matured; If it doesn't or the cracks are shallow, it means that it is not fully ripe. If there is no ripe melon, it will naturally lack that sweet taste. Therefore, when choosing melons, in terms of color, we should firmly choose yellow instead of cyan.
Weight: choose light not heavy
Then, let's weigh the melon with our hands. When we find two melons that look about the same size, we will be surprised to find that the weight of these melons is actually different. So, is it better to choose the heavy or the lighter?
The secret lies in the growth characteristics of the melon. After the melon grows and matures, it will appear hollow in the middle, and in this hollow position, soft melon pulp and its seeds will grow. But if there is no ripe melon, the middle is still in a relatively raw state, that is, it is solid, and the weight will be heavier.
Therefore, when we choose the melon, we should weigh it by hand and choose a slightly lighter one. Such a melon means that it has fully grown and ripened. Therefore, when weighing the weight, we should choose the light one over the heavy one.
Smell the fragrance: choose strong instead of light
The last important way is to smell the melon. After all, the reason why cantaloupe is called cantaloupe is because it has a very strong fragrance. When the melon grows ripe, its flavor will be very fragrant. We only need to place the melon at a distance of about 30 cm from the nose to be able to smell that very strong smell.
This flavor contains not only the fragrance, but also the hint of sweetness, which makes people happy to smell it. However, if the melon is not ripe, the smell will be very light, and it will even smell like the grass when weeding the lawn in the community.
Such a taste is a clear indication that the melon is not ripe to its best. Therefore, when choosing muskmelons, in terms of taste, we should choose the rich ones instead of the light ones.
Ripe melons are rich in nutritional values such as vitamin C, vitamin B group, etc., which help to maintain the normal physiological functions of the body. Contains a certain amount of minerals, such as potassium, which helps to maintain the normal function of the heart and muscles. Sugar can also fuel the body. A large amount of juice can also provide water to the body.
Eating melon in summer can also clear away heat and relieve heat. Promote the excretion of excess water in the body, and have a certain effect on reducing edema. Its dietary fiber can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, help digestion, and prevent constipation. Nutrients such as vitamins are beneficial for skin health and can keep the skin in tip-top shape.
In addition to eating it raw, melons can also be used to make a variety of gourmet dishes.
Melon ice powder
First, you need to prepare fresh melons, wash them, peel them, remove the seeds, and cut them into small pieces. Next, put the cut melon pieces into the juicer, add an appropriate amount of water, start the juicer, and squeeze the melon into juice.
The juice of the melon needs to be filtered to remove possible pulp particles and ensure that the ice powder has a delicate taste. The filtered melon juice can be poured into a clean container, and some honey or sugar can be added to increase the sweetness according to personal taste.
Next, heat the melon juice to 80 degrees in a small pot and add the ice powder powder as a coagulant. Then stir while heating until completely dissolved. After it has cooled to room temperature, pour the mixed melon juice into the mold and refrigerate it again until it solidifies into ice powder. The curdled melon ice powder can be cut into small pieces and served in a bowl, and depending on personal preference, it can be garnished with some fresh diced fruit or mint leaves to add flavor.
Melon ice powder is not only refreshing, but also rich in vitamins and minerals, making it a healthy choice to beat the heat in summer. On a hot summer afternoon, savor a bowl of homemade melon ice powder to quench your thirst and bring a hint of coolness.
Melon ice cream
First, you need to prepare fresh melons, wash them, peel them, remove the seeds, and cut them into small pieces. Put the sliced melon cubes in a blender, add an appropriate amount of sugar and a little lemon juice, and stir until the fruit is finely pureed.
Pour the stirred melon puree into a clean container and, if preferred, add some chopped nuts or dried fruit to add texture. Then, place the puree in the refrigerator until it is completely cool.
In another container, prepare the base for making ice cream. Add the mixture of whipping cream and milk to the right amount of sugar to taste. Use an electric mixer to whisk the mixture until it expands in volume to form a light foam.
Mix the cooled melon puree with the whipped cream, then pour it into the ice cream maker and follow the ice cream maker's instructions. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can also pour the mixture into a shallow dish, place it in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, remove and stir at regular intervals until the ice cream reaches the desired firmness.
The prepared melon puree ice cream can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the freezer to enjoy at any time. This homemade ice cream is not only healthy, but it also has a refreshing taste that is perfect for cooling off in the summer. The natural sweetness and fruity aroma of the melon, paired with the silky texture of the ice cream, is a rare summer dessert.
Pull the melon
Wash the melon, peel off the skin, remove the melon pulp, cut the flesh into long strips with a knife, dip it in dry starch, and set aside. Put the pot on the fire, add cooked oil and burn until it is hot, add the melon strips, and when they are fried until golden brown, remove and drain the oil. Put the original pot on the fire, leave a little base oil, add a small amount of water and sugar, and fry until light yellow when the silk can be pulled out. Put in the fried melon strips, remove from the heat, turn evenly, sprinkle with green and red silk and sesame seeds. Place in a dish coated with sesame oil and serve. When eating, it can be eaten with cool boiled water.
In the process of making the melon, the control of the heat is very important, and the oil temperature should be high when frying the melon strips, and it can be fried until golden brown to avoid burning. When frying the syrup, pay attention to the color change of the sugar, and when the syrup changes from light yellow to golden yellow, you can put in the melon strips. When sautéing the syrup, you can add a small amount of water, which will make the syrup more evenly wrapped on the melon strips. The sweetness of the melon can be adjusted according to personal taste, if you like it to be sweeter, you can increase the amount of sugar in moderation.
The above is the tips we want to share with you today to choose melons and make melons into food, I hope it can be helpful to you. In fact, choosing fruit is also a science, as long as you master some basic methods and principles, you can buy your favorite fruit. Of course, there is also an important premise, that is, to choose a regular, reliable and reputable fruit merchant or market, so as to ensure the freshness and safety of the fruit. Finally, I wish everyone a delicious and healthy fruit!