Rice wine is a great addition to East Asian food.It can be enjoyed on its own, as a strong, unique-tasting drink.It only takes two ingredients to make your own rice wine.With a little patience, you will be rewarded with a delicious, versatile wine that you can use with your cooking or sip on by itself.
Step 1: Put the rice in a container and rinse it.
Take 2 cups of rice and measure them out.When the water is clear, rinse the rice several times in a large bowl.Try to use sticky rice, which is more authentic and creates a slightly different flavor than regular rice.
Step 2: The rice needs to be soaked for an hour.
After rinsing, soak your rice in hot water for about an hour, as sticky rice cooks better after it has been soaked.Use a sieve or strainer to remove the water from the rice.
Step 3: The steamer has boiling water in the bottom.
The steamer has two cups of water in it.The water should be boiled.You can boil water in a pot if you don't have a steamer.
Step 4: The rice should be boiled.
After the water starts to boil, place the rice in the top compartment of a steamer and let it steam for 25 minutes.Place the sieve of rice above the boiling water if you don't have a steamer.The sieve should be covered with a pot lid and steam for 25 minutes.
Step 5: Check that the rice has finished steaming.
After 25 minutes, remove the lid of the steamer and taste the rice.If the rice is still hard, use a spoon to flip it over and let it steam more for a while to see if it is done.Remove the rice from the heat once it is steaming.
Step 6: Place the rice on the cooking sheet.
After the rice has finished steaming, spoon it out onto a cooking sheet and spread it in a thin layer to help it cool.Spreading the rice helps it to lose heat more quickly, and it is important to let it cool before starting the fermentation process.
Step 7: The yeast ball needs to be crushed.
Place the yeast ball in a small bowl.The yeast ball can be crushed with a pestle or spoon.Break the ball apart.
Step 8: The yeast powder and the rice should be mixed together.
Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the rice after crushing it.You can combine the yeast with the rice by tossing it with a spoon.The rice should be slightly warmer than the room temperature.
Step 9: The rice should be put in a container.
It is time to store and ferment the rice after you have mixed the yeast and rice.Depending on the size of the containers you are using, place the rice in an airtight container.
Step 10: Put the rice in a warm place.
If you can, keep the rice warm for a few days.You can either place a heating pad around the jar or keep the container of rice in the oven.The process of fermentation is encouraged by the heat.
Step 11: After a few days, you can taste the wine.
Liquid is accumulating at the bottom of the container after a few days.The wine is rice.The wine is ready to drink when it forms, so you can try it as soon as you see it accumulate.If you like the taste, put the liquid in the container and keep the rice mixture inside.You can either drink it yourself or use it in a recipe.The longer the wine ferments, the more it tastes different.The wine will taste fruity and slightly zingy when it first appears at the bottom of the container.The wine becomes more sweet and smooth as you let it ferment.
Step 12: Allow the wine to ferment for at least a month.
The rice should be stored in a warm place for a month.If the weather is warm, you don't need to keep it in the oven or heating pad past a few days.When you ferment your wine, it will become clearer and less cloudy.
Step 13: Bring the rice mixture to a boil.
The process will be complete after a month.If you want to collect the liquid from the wine, you have to strain it and put it in a jar or container.This will remove excess rice grains from your container.If you want to enjoy rice wine as soon as you strain it, you can do so.
Step 14: There is a container of rice wine in the refrigerator.
Place the rice wine in the refrigerator after pouring it into a container.If you want to drink rice wine at room temperature, store it in the fridge as this will help it last longer.
Step 15: Enjoy the clarified wine, pour it off.
A few days after you put it in the fridge, you should notice that there is a layer of dirt at the bottom of the wine container.Some people choose to improve the appearance of the wine and make the liquid more uniform by removing the sediment, even though it's not necessary.If you want, you can pour the clarified wine out of the container.The clarified wine should be poured back into the container.
Step 16: Don't forget to drink your wine.
You can use wine in cooking, drink it alone, or keep it in the fridge to mature it.It is normal for wine to become darker as you age it.For a delicious departure from the usual grape-based wine, use the wine in dishes and desserts.