How to choose dried lily? Why is dried lily bitter?

Dried lily is made from fresh lily scales through cooking and sulfur fumigation. Dried lily is generally light yellow or white, long oval in shape, brittle and hard, easy to break, slightly bitter in taste, and has certain medicinal value. It can not only be used for stewing meat, making soup, and as medicine, but can also be directly brewed with hot water and drunk. How should we choose dried lily in daily life? See what Encyclopedia Knowledge Network says.

Contents of this article

1. How to choose dried lily

2. Why is dried lily bitter?

3. Does dried lily have a shelf life?

How to choose dried lily

When we choose lilies for cooking, we must choose Lanzhou lilies. They are large, sweet, and have high nutritional value. They are both edible and medicinal. Because lilies are not easy to store, the lilies on the shelves are either vacuum packed or dried. Of course, the latter is more common. There are various types of dried lilies on the market. How should we choose? What color is the best for dried lilies? In fact, it is recommended that you buy them in large supermarkets. If you buy them online, it is best to buy them in specialty stores to prevent being deceived. In addition, you should choose carefully when buying.

First of all, we need to look at the shape of the dried lily. Generally, the dried lily bulbs produced in Lanzhou are strip-shaped petals, crystal clear, and have less crude fiber. The triangular ones with more crude fiber are generally not authentic Lanzhou lilies. They may be medicinal lilies from other places of origin. They taste bitter, not sweet, so it is best not to buy them.

Color is very important. Many people say that pure white lilies are better, but in fact, the color of high-quality dried lilies should be milky yellow, not pure white. Therefore, the whiter the dried lilies are, the better. The particularly white ones may have been fumigated with sulfur. This is done by unscrupulous merchants in order to make the lilies white and beautiful and to preserve them for a long time. The lilies fumigated with sulfur not only taste sour and astringent, but also excessive consumption can cause harm to the body. Therefore, when choosing dried lilies, do not buy the particularly white ones.

Pick up some lilies at random and smell them. Normal Lanzhou dried lilies should have a fragrant and sweet smell, while the dried lilies that have been smoked with sulfur will have a slightly sour smell. Sometimes the smell may fade over time and you won't be able to smell it. So don't buy this kind.

Dried lilies are usually drier because they are easier to store after drying. High-quality dried lilies should be crisp and dry, not soft, and will break when you break them with your hands. Low-quality dried lilies will feel damp and a little soft when you break them. These soft ones are usually sprayed with water. Many unscrupulous merchants do this to make the water account for the weight. Such dried lilies with excessive humidity not only affect the shelf life of the lilies, but also make them more expensive.

Why is dried lily bitter?

It is normal for dried lily to be bitter, because it has the effect of moistening the lungs. Lily is divided into dried lily and fresh lily, both of which have a sour taste. If it is too bitter to eat, you can cook it into soup with some mung beans and add a little brown sugar, so it will not be too bitter. This soup can not only relieve the heat, but also has the effect of beauty. But when buying lily, you must be careful not to choose some dried lily that has been bleached with sulfur, which will not have the medicinal effect. Don't buy dried lily in the vegetable market. Some of the lilies sold by vendors are soaked in unclean things, which is not good for your health. So you must go to the supermarket to buy it. Good dried lily is yellow when you buy it because it is dehydrated. It has a sweet and fragrant smell when you hold it in your hand. It will turn white after being soaked in water. It is also a little sweet when fried.

Does dried lily have a shelf life?

Dried lilies have a shelf life, which is generally about one year. Dried lilies are best stored in a dry and cool place. Once they are damp, they should be taken out and aired in time to prevent them from getting moldy. If you find that the dried lilies are obviously black, moldy, or spoiled, it is recommended not to continue eating them.

Dried lily is made from fresh lily scales through processes such as boiling and sulfur fumigation.

Dried lily is generally light yellow or white in color, oblong in shape, brittle in texture, easy to break, tastes slightly bitter, and has certain medicinal value.

Dried lily can not only be used for stewing meat, making soup, and as medicine, but can also be directly brewed with hot water and drunk.