As if confirming the biblical dictum that there are no prophets in their own country, the sunflower and pumpkin "found their land" far from their homeland - the lands of the Aztecs and Incas, received real recognition, fertile soil and worthy application on our land.
Of course, the ancient Indians knew about the benefits of these crops, and they worshiped a sunflower as a deity, but for the Europeans who colonized the American continent, the value of pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds as a wide range of agricultural crops was a discovery that came with emigrants from Russia. The earth is round!
The seeds of any plant have a large supply of vitality in order to germinate and give a new crop. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds are no exception, so their benefits have not been doubted for more than 5-6 thousand years. But in more detail their biochemical composition was studied already in the century of advanced technologies.
A discussion ensued between skeptics and their opponents about the benefits and dangers of seeds. Supporters of a healthy lifestyle and fans of diets also did not stand aside: everyone seeks to speak about the benefits and dangers of seeds as a food product, at the same time attributing magical healing properties to fried seeds.
From all that has been said about these grains, one can and should trust only the results of scientific and laboratory studies. Logically, the purpose of each product is to supply the body with useful and nutritious substances. Some foods contain many vitamins, some contain minerals, others contain unsaturated fatty acids, and so on.
For example, lemon contains vitamin C, but to ensure its daily requirement, you need to eat 2 lemons, to provide the body with vitamin F, you need to use 40 g of fried seeds every day. But the list of everything that a person needs during the day - vitamins, valuable acids, minerals necessary for regular use is so great that it is impossible to eat everything at once. Yes, the seeds are good. Yes, there are some limitations to their use. It is possible that they improve well-being in some chronic diseases, but they should not be replaced with a medicine, like all other food products. It is best to consult your doctor on these issues, and not succumb to fashion trends and the influences of sources, which are often sellers of the product, and their logic of admiration has a clear goal: to expand the market.
Let those who disagree be indignant, but food, besides good, should bring pleasure, and the missing elements for the normal functioning of the body must, nevertheless, be sought in special mineral and vitamin complexes. Therefore, leaving a little aside the question of the benefits and dangers of seeds, we will consider a simpler question - the technology of home cooking.
How to fry seeds: cleaning, sorting and preparing raw materials
Preparing seeds for frying is a more time-consuming process than frying itself.
The harvested crop must be carefully sorted and all impurities removed. Further, if the seeds are collected from their sunflowers of different varieties, it is advisable to sort them by size.
In industrial conditions, of course, this stage is fully mechanized.
Seeds collected in their suburban area will have to sort through manually. For what? To ensure uniform toasting of seeds.
Next stage - washing. At home, this can be done by substituting a sieve with seeds under a stream of water. Sunflower seeds are easy to clean: just hold them under pressure to remove dust. If you need to rinse pumpkin seeds, then it is better to pre-wet them. After that, you need to grind them with your hands to separate the remaining fibers. It is better to repeat this operation several times in order to completely remove the remains of pulp from their peel.
Next you need to place a sieve over the pallet and wait for the glass to water. It is better to wash pumpkin seeds immediately after removing them from the pulp, without waiting until it dries. If you are not going to fry them right away, then you need to dry them and put them in a dry place. Can be stored in a glass jar in the kitchen or in a plastic bag, in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.
The ideal way to dry seeds - convection cooker. Fast and reliable. Spread them on a sheet with a thin layer and just hold in a hot oven. If conditions allow, then dry the seeds in the sun, laying them on a grid. For example, an anti-mosquito net nailed onto a wooden frame is a good thing for the household.
Dry large quantities in small parts. It is important to achieve complete drying so that excess moisture during storage does not cause mold and a musty smell. Depending on the volume of the product and individual addiction to it, it is better to store stocks dried, but not fried. That is, the seeds need to be sorted, washed, dried and stored in this form, and it is desirable to fry them as needed, especially since it does not take much time.
How to fry pumpkin seeds? This question is asked by many amateurs. If sunflower seeds can be fried in a pan, then pumpkin grains, all the same, it is better to fry in the oven, spreading them on a sheet with a thin layer.
How to fry seeds: methods of heat treatment
Probably, there are still Russian ovens in the villages that are ideally suited not only for preparing many dishes, but also are an ingeniously simple answer to the question of how to fry seeds. This Russian miracle oven, by its design, is nothing but a modern combi steamer, only without a timer and a built-in thermometer. In the conditions of modern city apartments, one has to be content with the available opportunities.
How to roast seeds in the oven
Cooking in the oven, including seeds, is still considered the best way to cook any food. The closed chamber of the oven provides uniform heating of products at a constant or adjustable temperature. Of great importance is the fact that, being in an enclosed space, the products retain their maximum nutritional properties, which are more volatilized during heat treatment on the surface of the stove.
Frying the seeds in the oven takes no more than five minutes. In this case, the oven must first be heated to 220ºϹ. Put the prepared seeds on a leaf. After five minutes, turn off the stove, but do not immediately take out the seeds, but hold it until the temperature in the oven decreases by half. After this, the seeds need to be poured onto a wooden surface and until completely cooled, keep them covered with a linen napkin. The readiness of the seeds is checked organoleptically.
Larger, pumpkin seeds, respectively, need to be fried, increasing the frying time.
Often, pumpkin seed lovers are looking for pumpkin varieties with lots of seeds. Breeders took care of them. Such varieties include Confetka, Volzhskaya Seraya, Rossiyanka, Zhemchuzhina, Arbat. However, before you go to buy seeds, think about the fact that pumpkin seeds should be consumed in very moderate quantities, and the pumpkin itself is useful not only for seeds, but also for pulp.
How to fry seeds in a pan
For this cooking method, you must select the appropriate cookware. First of all, you need a heavy cast-iron frying pan, preferably of a large diameter: you have to fry the seeds, pouring them in a thin layer, for uniform frying. Therefore, a large surface area will significantly speed up the process, especially if you need to make a stock of fried seeds before the end of your favorite series. Set the metal spatula aside for mixing: use a wooden one. The pan can be pre-greased with oil, but you can not do this. It is better to wet the seeds so that the husk is steamed and then it is better separated from the kernels after drying. As soon as the moisture evaporates, start to closely monitor, and mainly listen carefully: a characteristic crackle is a signal that it is time to remove the pan from the heat. Do not stop stirring even after the pan is removed. The second point that you should pay attention to is the characteristic aroma of fried seeds. Just make sure that it is not burnt. That's all. In time, frying the seeds in a pan takes from 10 to 15 minutes, or a little more: it all depends on the temperature of the stove and the degree of heating of the pan.
How to roast seeds in the microwave
If the above tips on how to fry pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds, seem too troublesome, then try to do it in the microwave. This method will surely appeal to everyone.
It is very easy: pour washed and moist grains onto a plate. Turn on the microwave for a minute, at maximum power. Remove the plate, mix and place for another minute. After the third time, try it. If the seeds are not sufficiently fried, then the next approach should last no more than 30 seconds, so as not to be mistaken.
How to fry seeds in a pan: about flavors
Roasted pumpkin seeds are reminiscent of peanut flavor. This suggests the idea: why not fry them with peanut butter before frying to emphasize this taste even more? Such seeds will be very handy if you add them to some original salad, sprinkle bread baked with bran or oatmeal.
There are varieties of pumpkin with "bare" seeds, which before frying can be soaked in salted, or vice versa sweet solution, which can significantly expand the range not only for a snack, but also to create interesting dishes.
We summarize what has been said: frying seeds in a pan is incredibly simple!
