How to cook carrots for salad: in a saucepan and in the microwave

Proper cooking of carrots allows you to preserve the sweet taste and useful substances of the vegetable. How to choose and cook carrots is in the Izvestia article.

Carrot selection and preparation

The right choice of root vegetable determines the quality of the finished dish.

For salads, it is recommended to choose medium—sized carrots - they are juicier, cook faster and cook more evenly. Before cooking, carrots must be thoroughly rinsed under running water, using a hard brush or sponge to remove any remaining dirt and dirt. You can pre-soak the vegetable in hot water to soften the dirt.

It is not necessary to remove the peel completely for cooking — thanks to it, carrots will retain more flavor, color and vitamins. It will be possible to peel the root vegetable after cooking. If you plan to cut carrots into small pieces or grate them before cooking, then you need to peel them in advance.

How to cook carrots in a saucepan

The traditional cooking method ensures uniform cooking of the vegetable.

To cook whole carrots, put the prepared root vegetable in a saucepan and cover it completely with cold water. Cold water is necessary for uniform cooking of the vegetable. Long carrots can be cut in half to fit in a saucepan. Cover the pan with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce it to medium.​

The cooking time of a whole carrot depends on the size:

• Small young carrots — 10-15 minutes

• Medium—sized carrots - 20-30 minutes

• Large carrots — 40-60 minutes

Check the readiness with a knife, fork or toothpick — they should easily fit into a soft vegetable. After cooking, drain the hot water and cool the carrots in cold water — this way they will retain their elasticity and will be easier to clean.

How to cook sliced carrots

Pre-slicing significantly reduces cooking time.

Cut the peeled carrots into cubes or cubes about 3 cm long. Sliced vegetables should be put immediately into boiling water. Cook the carrots under a lid over medium heat for 6-15 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. Finely chopped carrots will be ready in 4-5 minutes after boiling.

Do not over-soak carrots in water, otherwise they may boil and lose their shape. Before draining the water through a colander, be sure to check the readiness of the vegetable with a fork.

How to cook steamed carrots

The steam method preserves useful substances and vitamins as much as possible.

For cooking, pour a little water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Place a colander or a special steaming stand on top — it should not touch the water. Put the carrots in a colander, cover and cook the whole vegetable for 25-35 minutes, chopped for 8-15 minutes.

In a slow cooker, the process is even simpler. Pour about 1 liter of water into a bowl and place the peeled carrots on a steaming rack. Install the grill in the slow cooker, select the "Steamed" or "Steamed" mode. The standard cooking time is 20-30 minutes for whole carrots and about 10 minutes for sliced ones.

Get out your knives: hotels don't have enough cooks and kitchen staff

Salaries for such employees are rapidly being raised in the regions.

How to cook carrots in the microwave

The fastest way to cook carrots takes only a few minutes.

Put the prepared carrots in a microwave-safe container. Pour in some water and cover with a lid or plate. Alternatively, you can use a regular plastic bag — put the vegetables in there, add water, tie the bag loosely and place it on a plate for convenience.

Cook carrots at full power (800-1000 watts):

• Chopped carrots — 3-8 minutes

• Whole carrots — 10-15 minutes

With water, carrots turn out to be elastic, as after cooking in a saucepan, without water they dry out and wrinkle. Check the readiness with a fork or knife.

Useful tips

A few recommendations will help you cook carrots perfectly.

If you need to prepare vegetables for a salad, cook each type separately — carrots, beets and potatoes — so that nothing gets boiled. Frozen carrots are cooked for the same amount of time as fresh ones, and they do not need to be thawed beforehand. If you need to grate carrots for the salad, do it after cooking.

It is not necessary to salt water when cooking vegetables for salads. If you usually have enough salt, which is given in the dish by other ingredients (cucumbers, sausage, mayonnaise), you do not need to salt the carrots. If not, you can add salt in the middle of cooking. Properly cooked carrots are easily cut into neat cubes, and the salad turns out to be beautiful.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.