The melon is not a vegetable that Chinese people eat in habits, and the taste of it is easily stiff, too moist or soft when cooked; but the melon is rich in nutrients and is known as a "fattening sacred product" and is still worth put in the dish. Three farmers who plant melons all said that there are many good ways to cook, just remember one thing.
High temperature is the keyFood Simply Recipes report, Connecticut farm owner Patrick Horan pointed out that all high-temperature stir-frying, baking and roasting are the best way to cook melon; he likes to add some oil or cream to the grill or flat-bottomed grill to cook quickly at high temperature. Huo Blue said that simple ingredient olive oil, salt and pepper can make the melon delicious.
High temperatures are the key. Her favorite way to cook is to cook on the grill or with a frying pot over high heat, closing the moisture and flavor of the melon.
She said that the appropriate amount of oil helps to achieve a high temperature and fast cooking effect and avoid stickiness; in addition, do not swell or turn over too early, like a fried steak, and remove it from the steak when it is frying and ready to turn over.
April Robertson, who runs a family farm in North Carolina, said she thinks that gua is "good no matter how you cook it."
Roberson's favorite method is to bake in a hot oven (the optimal temperature is about 232 degrees Celsius). She will slice the melon, add some cream, salt, pepper, flavoring and parmesan cheese, and bake in the preheated oven until soft. She said that if you don’t like the taste of melon, you can add more spices to increase the flavor.
Horbing and Scott both said that the only thing to avoid is boiling. Scott said that the only reason she boils the melon is to chill it for long-term storage; her garden has many melons, and quick boiling and cold can help with long-term storage.
Tips for cooking melonsRoberson said that in order to achieve the best results, the melons cannot be peeled regardless of the cooking method; be careful not to cook too much, otherwise it will become a paste.
In addition, cut the melon to the same size and cook it at the same speed. Scott said that if the large pieces of melon are cooked, the small pieces will be overcooked and broken, turning into a mushy texture that is not disliked.
When choosing a melon, size is also very important. Roberson pointed out that it is best to have small melons without seeds; she would choose small and tender ones, "the bigger the head, the bigger the seeds." Huo Blue said that he would pick melons about six to eight inches long, which would be solid to touch; but if the head is big, it can also be put into the oven or made into melon fried dough or bread.
Responsible editor: Gu Zihuan