Menjong Foundation provided even numbers of electric preserving cookers and three thousand glass jars (1-2 liters capacity) to the thirty households of Chendebji community. During our survey, we found out that the villagers could not preserve their produce due to lack of proper equipment and facilities thus contributing to poverty and less nutritious diet. Although in summer all kinds of fruits and vegetables grow in summer in Chendebji, during the winter and off seasons, people there have no fruits and vegetables at all. This problem expected to be solved through our Food Preservation Project. One of our Staffs travelled to Europe at her own expense and got trained in Germany, about food preservation and one food preservation specialist will travel to Bhutan to assist us and train the people in Chendebji about how to preserve food. Through thisproject,we would like to improve the quality of the lives of the people living in the remote areas of Bhutan starting with Chendebji.
Method:
- Fill the jars and loosely tighten the lids. Place the jar inside the cooker, standing on the grid that covers the bottom, which prevents direct contact with the heater.
- Fill the tank with water to just below the top of the jars. Put the lid back on the cooker.
- Set the dial on the thermostat to 75 ºC and allow the water to heat up to the temperature. Then set the timer for the required length of time for pasteurization, about 45-50 minutes.
- At the end of the time, allow the jars to cool down and screw the caps down tightly. That cooked vegetables and fruits can be used in off-season for about 3-4 years.