There are lots and lots of herbs and spices that come in powdered form. Using them is perfect for people who like to whip up all sorts of culinary masterpieces in their respective kitchens but do not have all the time in the world. Since they no longer have to deal with slicing, crushing or grinding, then making soups, stew and other dishes taste and smell more savory becomes a lot easier with powdered herbs and spices — sprinkling is all that’s needed to be done!
Do you happen to like the effects of adding celery powder to just about anything that you cook? Then you should have lots of it in your spice rack so that you can always come up with your signature dishes.
Worry not if your favorite supermarket has run out of stocks of celery powder and it seems like your supply of it at home is not enough for your next major culinary endeavor. That’s because it is very easy to make celery powder from scratch. Simply by using a dehydrator and spice grinder, you can turn regular celery sticks into celery powder!
Here are the simple steps:
-Grab a bunch of celery. Remove the leaves and chop off the ends of the stalks. Thoroughly wash the celery sticks under running water. Make sure that there are no remaining traces of dirt and grime. Shake off excess water.
-Start slicing your celery sticks crosswise, each slice measuring about a quarter of an inch. It’s a good idea to make the thickness as uniform as possible so that all of the celery pieces will get dehydrated at the same time, which is something that will make the entire task of making celery powder a lot easier.
-Take your dehydrator out of storage and neatly place the slices of celery on the drying racks. Have your dehydrator set at 125°F, which is equivalent to 50°C.
– Now here’s the part where the old adage “patience is a virtue applies” — you have to wait for about 10 hours before those pieces of celery become dry and ready for turning into powder. If you set the thermostat at a lower setting, then you may have to devote more time than just 10 hours.
– After 10 hours, inspect the celery bits. Grab a piece and place it between your thumb and index finger. Did it crumble quite easily? Then you are ready for the next step. If not, then allow the bits of celery to dehydrate for a couple of hours more. Otherwise, you won’t end up with perfectly pulverized celery powder.
– In small batches, grind the dehydrated bits of celery in you spice grinder. Allow your spice grinder to run for a few minutes until there is no more clicking sound coming from it.
– Once you have pulverized all of the dehydrated bits of celery, transfer to an airtight container. Stash this container in a spot in your kitchen that’s dry and cool, and away from direct sunlight.
That’s how easy it is to make celery powder from home!
But just because you don’t own a dehydrator doesn’t mean that making celery powder from scratch isn’t possible. You can always count on the sun for drying up those bits of celery.
All you have to do is slice fresh celery sticks as thinly as you can. Arrange them in a large metal tray and cover with a fine mesh, securing it in place with the help of clothesline clips to ensure that dirt and insects won’t be able to get in. Place under direct sunlight for several hours straight. At night, take the tray indoors and repeat the dehydrating process the following day. Keep on doing this until your celery bits are completely dry and crisp.
