In fact, rice vinegar has a taste that is not as sharp as other vinegars. Also, because rice vinegar has a slight hint of sweetness, you can mix it into a variety of recipes that have a sweet or sour taste, such as lettuce sauce. Although there are many good quality rice vinegars on the market, why not try making your own at home? Basically, all you need is cooked rice, vinegar or rice wine, water and a little patience. Voila, fresh rice vinegar with guaranteed taste and quality is ready to use!
Ingredients
- 500 grams of cooked white rice, along with the rest of the boiled water
- 30-60 ml of vinegar or rice wine
- 1 liter of water
Will make about liter of rice vinegar
Step
Part 1 of 3: Mixing Rice, Natural Yeast and Water
Step 1. Transfer the rice and the remaining cooking water to a closed container
To make rice vinegar, you need to prepare 500 grams of cooked white rice. Then, put the rice along with the remaining boiled water into a container or bottle made of glass or clay.
If using a glass container, you should choose a dark colored material to facilitate the fermentation process
Step 2. Put the natural yeast in the same container
Basically, rice vinegar can only be formed with the help of a natural yeast called vinegar starter. If you have unfiltered rice vinegar, please take the 30-60 ml of vinegar on the surface of the container and pour it over the rice. If you don't have vinegar, feel free to use the same amount of rice wine. Although the second option takes longer, the effectiveness of the process is not different from the first option.
- If you want, you can also buy vinegar starter at various online stores.
- Shaoxing rice wine is the perfect option for making vinegar from rice wine. Interested in using it? You can easily find shaoxing rice wine in major supermarkets or online stores.
Step 3. Pour the water into the container
After putting cooked rice and natural yeast into a container, pour about 1 liter of bottled mineral water or water that has gone through a filtering process into the container. Don't use tap water, especially since tap water may contain bacteria or other irritants that could potentially interfere with the vinegar's fermentation process.
Part 2 of 3: Fermenting Rice Vinegar
Step 1. Cover the surface of the container with a cheese or tofu strainer
For maximum fermentation results, the vinegar must remain exposed to air, but must not come into contact with dust, dirt, or even insects! That's why a container of vinegar must be covered with a cheese or tofu filter cloth that has a very fine cavity so that only air can enter the container, not air and irritants. In particular, cover the surface of the container with two to three sheets of cheese or tofu strainer, then tie the edges with rubber.
Step 2. Place the container in a warm and dry place
Basically, the fermentation process will take place more quickly in warmer temperatures. Therefore, it is best to place the container of vinegar in a place where the temperature is around 15-27°C. Also make sure the container is not exposed to direct sunlight because the fermentation process will only take place in a dark place.
Some of the ideal locations to use to store vinegar are the cupboards and kitchen cabinets
Step 3. Check the condition of the vinegar after three weeks
The vinegar should be fully fermented at this stage, although the degree of fermentation will depend largely on the temperature around the container, the natural yeast used, and the amount of bacteria formed. In general, the rice vinegar fermentation process can take from 3 weeks to 6 months. Therefore, after the vinegar has been allowed to sit for 3 weeks, please open the lid of the container and smell the aroma. If it smells like vinegar, try tasting it. If the taste is not to your liking, cover the container and let it sit again.
- Don't worry if the vinegar smells weird during the fermentation process. Ideally, fully fermented rice vinegar will give off a sharp, sour aroma, similar to the vinegar you'll often find on the market.
- Meanwhile, the vinegar should taste sour and tart, like the products you'll find on the market, rather than having a taste that resembles alcohol.
Step 4. Continue to smell the vinegar and taste it regularly
Basically, the taste and smell of vinegar can be checked again within a few weeks or months after the first checking process, depending on the condition of the vinegar when it was first checked. If the vinegar tastes and smells like the products you often find on the market, then the vinegar is ready to use!
Don't over-ferment the vinegar! Basically, the taste of vinegar is very dependent on the duration of fermentation. Therefore, stop the fermentation process when the vinegar taste is considered to be to your liking. For those of you who prefer vinegar with a very sour and sharp taste, feel free to increase the duration of fermentation
Part 3 of 3: Straining Rice Vinegar
Step 1. Strain the rice vinegar with the help of a cheese or tofu strainer
After the fermentation process is complete, transfer the cheese or tofu filter cloth to another clean surface, then pour the vinegar into the new container through the sieve to filter out any solid residue.
- If you prefer, you can place a cheese or tofu strainer over the funnel to prevent the vinegar from spilling out when you pour it into the container.
- If you want to make new rice vinegar at a later date, don't throw away any slippery textured pulp left on the cheese or tofu strainer. This dregs is a source of vinegar that can be used to speed up the vinegar-making process at another time. Instead, store the vinegar in a dark-walled glass bottle and cover the mouth of the bottle with a cheese or tofu strainer. This will seal the bottle, but still allow room for air to enter and keep the vinegar "alive". Then, store the bottle in a place that is around 15-27°C.
Step 2. Store the vinegar in the refrigerator for a few hours
Basically, the color of the vinegar will look cloudy when the temperature is still warm. That's why, vinegar needs to be cooled before filtering. Cover the surface of the container again with a cheese or tofu strainer, then store the vinegar in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours until it cools completely.
Step 3. Strain the vinegar using a special cloth to strain the cheese or tofu
Once the vinegar has cooled and the color looks clearer, take it out of the fridge immediately. Then, prepare a clean and dry airtight container and cover the surface with a cheese or tofu filter cloth. Pour the vinegar into the container through a sieve to make sure the finish is completely clear. After going through the final screening process, the vinegar is ready to be used in a variety of recipes.
- Fresh rice vinegar should always be kept in the refrigerator! If possible, finish the vinegar before 3-4 months.
- To increase the shelf life of vinegar, so that vinegar can be stored at room temperature, don't forget to pasteurize. It's not difficult, really. First, you just need to heat the vinegar in a saucepan until it reaches 77°C, then reduce the heat and let the vinegar stay at that temperature for 10 minutes. Generally, this process is easier to do with the help of a slow cooker. Set the pan to the lowest temperature, then warm the vinegar for 1-2 hours. Pasteurized vinegar can last for years or even forever!
