Steeping

Steeping is the soaking of an organic solid, such as tea leaves or grain, in a liquid, usually water, to draw out its flavor or soften it. In tea preparation, dried leaves are steeped in hot or boiling water, whether loose, in a bag, or in an infuser, to release their flavor and nutrients. In corn milling, harvested kernels are steeped in water at about 50 degrees Celsius for 30 to 40 hours, which raises their moisture content from about 15 percent to 45 percent, weakens the gluten bonds, and frees the starch inside. Steeping grain is also a standard step in brewing beer, and the technique can be used in reverse to draw unwanted components, such as excess salt, out of a food. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/