How to Preserve Cut Yams In Afria – Asikoherbs
Have you ever wondered how to preserve cut yams in Africa? So, no more wondering! This blog article will go through the traditional African method of preserving cut yams. This method is not only efficient but also ecologically beneficial and long-lasting. So, if you want to discover how to preserve cut yams in Africa, keep reading!
What exactly is a yam?
Yam is a plant that is cultivated for its starchy edible tubers. In Nigeria, yam is a popular food.
In recent times, high technology exists that may be used to manage humidity and other environmental conditions.
However, many Nigerian farmers cannot afford such high-tech storage systems. As a consequence, storage and preservation rates are relatively low.
Is there ever a time when you sliced and peeled yams but couldn’t immediately cook them?
I took a pause and asked a few people how they store their sliced yam tubers.
I got many curious comments, the most stunning of which I’ll begin with.
Someone informed me that she just leaves the yam in this state and then slices off the destroyed section when she has to cook it again.
That, in my view, is not appropriate nor safe for the following reasons:
Why waste the yam that you have cut away? You can keep that yam by preserving it correctly.
Do you believe the remaining half of your yam tuber will be safe if mould develops on it and you remove the infected portion?
Please don’t poison yourself, which is why I’ve gone to the trouble of addressing this matter.
This page discusses how to preserve cut yams after harvest, both at home and for farmers.
How to Freeze Yams in Nigeria l How to Preserve Cut Yams in Africa
Depending on where you live, keeping yam might be challenging; this is particularly true for those who live outside of Nigeria and do not have easy access to yam.
So it would be inconvenient to spend so much money on yam just to have it deteriorate and spoil.
The yam diminishes in size as the water evaporates the longer we leave it on the ground.
Even before it reaches our homes, it develops mold and starts to decay, either within or outside its brown covering.
If you stick to this simple method of preserving raw yam at home from now on, you’ll be able to enjoy yam dishes all year long, not only during harvest season.
Cooked yams may be frozen in the same manner. Yam may be kept fresh at home by freezing it.
To begin with, freezing yam at home is a simple, chemical-free method of preserving yam. This is only OK if you are storing healthy yams.
As a consequence, adhere to the instructions listed below.
- To begin, peel the yam tuber by cutting it into pieces that can be held in one hand.
- Second, cleanly remove the yam’s brown skin.
- Then, cut the yam into the required shapes and sizes.
- In the meanwhile, rinse the peeled yam in cool water.
- Then, seal the zip lock bag with the washed yam inside.
- Place a freezer bag halfway with frozen yam. Finally, the yam may be kept in this way for months, if not years, without spoiling.
- Furthermore, to cook the yam, just remove it from the freezer and allow it to thaw. You may also microwave it to defrost it.
- Then, place them in a saucepan, cover them with water, and cook (or fry) them.
- Finally, cook the yam to your liking and enjoy your meal.
So, other than the yam freeze preservation method, how do you keep or preserve your yam?
How to store yam l How to Preserve Cut Yams
1 – Stacking yam tubers on a wooden stand in a well-ventilated area of the barn away from direct sunshine, heat, or water.
2 – Yam tubers may be placed in mounds on the ground.
3 – For storage, place yam tubers in trench silos.
So, in addition to freezing yams, you may also preserve them using traditional ways.
How to Preserve Cut Yams – How to Freeze Yam
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and put aside a bowl of water.
If you’re going to peel the yam, cut it into circular shapes or strips. To prevent discolouration, place the peeled yam in a bowl of water. Repeat this technique until you’ve used up all of the yam tubers you want to save.
Rinse the yam until clean and free of dirt, then drain in a colander.
Option 1: Arrange the peeled yam in a single layer on the prepared lined baking sheet if flash-freezing. Place it in the freezer for up to 2 hours, then transfer it to a Ziploc bag and place it back in the freezer. Freeze for 6 to 12 months.
Option 2: Transfer the cleaned and drained yam to a big Ziploc bag, making sure it isn’t congested and not stacked too high. Close the Ziploc bag, taking care to remove as much extra air as possible. If feasible, store the yam flat in the freezer for 6 months to a year.