Boiling Laba Congee with alkali or baking soda will spoil faster

When cooking Laba Congee, baking soda can make the food soft and rotten faster, but it will destroy some nutrients; Although adding alkali can also help soften, it has a significant impact on the flavor. Baking soda accelerates starch decomposition through weak alkalinity, while alkalinity may produce astringency and cause more significant damage to B vitamins. The main component of baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, and its weak alkaline environment can promote the hydrolysis of cellulose and starch in beans and grains, reducing cooking time by about 30%. Especially effective for difficult to cook ingredients such as red beans and Job's tears, but at high temperatures, it can react with vitamin B1 and vitamin C, leading to nutrient loss. It is recommended to add the ingredients after they are half cooked, keeping them within a small amount to avoid excessive bitterness. If pursuing nutritional preservation, it can be replaced by pre soaking or pressure cooker.

Eating alkali has a stronger softening effect, but it will significantly change the flavor of Congee and produce a slightly astringent taste. Its strong alkaline environment causes more damage to vitamins than baking soda, and long-term consumption may affect the acid-base balance of the gastrointestinal tract. In traditional methods, it is often used to handle particularly hard wild ingredients, and modern cooking has reduced its use. If it is necessary to add, it is recommended to dissolve it in water first, and add a small amount in portions during the boiling stage. Before leaving the pot, add a little vinegar to neutralize the alkalinity.

Laba Congee focuses on the original taste of food materials and balanced nutrition. In addition to adding auxiliary materials, beans are refrigerated and soaked for 12 hours in advance, and cooked slowly in a purple clay pot, which can not only maintain particle integrity but also save energy. People with high blood sugar should pay attention to controlling the proportion of glutinous rice, and those with weak digestive function can increase the consumption of easily digestible grains such as millet and oats. Regardless of the cooking method used, the amount added should be controlled within one percent of the total amount of ingredients.