Amidst the ongoing energy crisis in Cuba, a Catholic priest from Santiago de Cuba has taken to social media to share a traditional method for preserving food, providing a practical alternative to the frequent power outages disrupting daily life. Father Leandro NaunHung, known for offering valuable resources to navigate the economic crisis, posted a Facebook video demonstrating the use of salt to preserve vegetables, offering a solution to the lack of refrigerators and constant power interruptions on the island.
"Forget about using refrigerators to keep your food fresh. We're ahead of the times," the priest asserted.
Preserving Vegetables with Salt
This time, the priest enlisted the help of two parishioners who, in a hands-on manner, showcased how to cover eggplants with salt to prevent spoilage, emphasizing that this method can extend their shelf life for several days. The process involves generously salting the eggplants to expel internal liquids and ensure preservation. They are then placed in glass jars covered with cloth and inverted to aid in drainage.
Challenges of Desalting
However, it's not without its challenges: an excessive amount of salt can make the food difficult to consume. In the video, punctuated with humor and trial-and-error, the priest and his assistants attempt to desalt the eggplants using warm water, acknowledging that this step requires patience and adjustments. "We know how to salt for preservation, but desalting for consumption is another matter," they reflect, testing this as the best way to remove the salt.
Daily Struggles in Cuba
During the demonstration, the harsh realities of daily life in Cuba become apparent: "Let's make use of the electricity while we have it," they remarked, highlighting the daily challenges faced by the population due to frequent blackouts. Ultimately, after several attempts, they use the eggplants as a side dish for ribs, showing that despite limitations, it is possible to adapt and find creative solutions to tackle scarcity.
The video, like many others shared by Father NaunHung, stands as a testimony to ingenuity and resilience in times of hardship.