"How to dry figs?" Let us see why we need to dry and how to dry figs quickly at home. Drying figs means dehydrating figs for a longer time without losing their nutrition.
Drying figs is really a simple process and we can easily do that at home. Dries figs make an easy and healthy snack. You can add them to smoothies & shakes, or in cakes, muffins, bread, etc. They act as a natural sweetener as well.
What are figs?
Figs are the edible fruit of Ficus carica. These are native to the Mediterranean and Western Asia. The fruit is drop shaped with green skin on it that turns purple or brown when ripe and with a soft red color pulp/ flesh containing thousand crunchy seeds.
Why Do We Dry Figs?
In every local vegetable market, you will find fresh figs in certain seasons. The season may vary geographically. These are perishable.
Since ripe fruit does not transport and keep well, most commercial production is in dried and processed forms.
But by dehydrating the fresh figs we can enjoy them throughout the year. Drying figs helps in preserving their natural flavor and nutritional essentials naturally.
So by drying fresh figs you can enjoy the goodness of figs in the seasons when they are found limited or not found.
And it won't take a lot of time and effort also. It won't require any unhealthy preservatives also.
Do you know dried figs are a little extra sweet naturally than fresh figs? You don't need to add extra sugar as well during the process of drying figs.
Figs have numerous health benefits. You can read them here.
How To Dry Figs?
Drying figs is an easy and simple process. You need to take care of a few more things for a perfect yield of dried figs. The figs can be dried in three ways, i.e.
1. By sun drying,
2. In a dehydrator,
3. In the oven.
Pick up the right figs
There are several varieties of figs available in the market. But the drying process is the same for all of the varieties.
Ripe figs are softer than unripe ones. Choose the fig at the right stage of ripening. Extra ripe ones will not yield perfect dried figs or may take longer since they turn slightly softer than the required level. So choosing the right figs is an important part of the process.
Step-by-step Process of dehydrating Figs
Step 1 - Wash & clean the figs carefully. Remove the bruised parts, and any dirt by scrubbing lightly with a knife or scrubber.
Stpe 2 - Cut the figs into halves or quarters. This will help in making the dehydration process slightly quicker. Also, it will help in storing the dried figs.
Step 2 - Blanch the figs
Put the figs in boiling hot water for 30 - 40 seconds. Remove them from hot water and give a quick ice bath. Remove from water and wipe them thoroughly using a dry kitchen towel.
Blanching the figs will reduce the dehydration time. However, you can skip the step and start drying directly.
Step 4 - Arrange the figs on a tray.
Method 1 - Drying Figs Under SUN
Place the tray directly in sunlight and cover it with cheesecloth so that it will not cover with any dirt or pollutants and at the same time it will dry. Sunray with its heat will help evaporate the juices or moisture gradually. With the loss of moisture, it will start to shrink in size. This may take 3 - 7 days time depending on the climate. Bring the trays inside to a closed area in the nighttime or when sun sets.
This method of drying figs is dependent on the weather condition and humidity in the air.
Method 2 - How To Dry Figs In An Oven?
Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature, possibly 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 C).
Place the figs on a baking tray. Place the tray in the oven. Leave the figs 8 - 12 hours to dehydrate. Check at regular intervals.
Remove once done. Let it cool down completely before storing it.
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