A Beginner's Guide to Rice Wine Making
Traditionally drunk in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, rice wine is a general name for an alcoholic beverage fermented and potentially distilled from rice. Rice starch which has been broken down into sugars and fermented produces rice wine. The enzymes that transform starches into sugar are produced by microbes.
How to make rice wine at home?
The rice wine making process which can be followed at home is:
Wash two cups of sticky rice in water. Into a big bowl, pour those 2 cups of uncooked rice. To get rid of the starches, completely immerse the rice in water and twirl it with your hands or a spoon. As soon as the water is clear, drain it and do this process three or four more times.
Rice should soak for roughly eight hours. Rice should be soaked in hot water for about an hour because sticky rice cooks more effectively after being soaked. After eight hours, drain the rice by pressing it through a sieve or strainer to get rid of the water. Pinching the rice between your fingers should cause it to easily disintegrate.
In a steamer or pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. 2 cups of water should be poured into the bottom of a steamer, and it should be brought to a boil. In the absence of a steamer, bring water to a boil in a medium-sized pot.
Rice should be steamed for around 30 minutes. Steam the rice for at least 30 minutes in the top compartment of a steamer. Make the rice somewhat flat by pressing it down, then make holes in it with a spoon or a pair of chopsticks. This aids in distributing heat and ensuring that the rice is steamed uniformly.
After 30 minutes, check to see if the rice is transparent and fluffy. Taste the rice after removing the steamer or sieve's cover. Every five minutes, check the rice to see whether it's done and use a spoon to flip it over if it's still firm or somewhat crunchy.
On a baking sheet, distribute the rice. To speed up cooling, pour the rice onto a baking sheet and spread it out thinly. Before commencing the fermentation process, it is imperative to allow the rice to cool, and spreading the rice causes it to lose heat more quickly.
Crush the yeast ball for wine. Place the yeast ball in a small basin after removing it. The yeast ball should be ground into a fine powder using a the bottom of a big spoon.
Rice and yeast powder should be combined. Over the rice, evenly distribute the smashed yeast, and stir.
To start the fermentation process, place the rice in an airtight container. Using a spoon, compact the rice by pressing it down firmly.
You'll see liquid gathering at the bottom of the jar after a few days. The rice wine is this. As soon as the wine forms, it is ready to be consumed.
Keep the wine fermenting for at least another 15 days.
The wine should be separated from the rice using a piece of cheesecloth or a very fine strainer; store the liquid in a jar or other container.
Your container should be refrigerated after being sealed at the top.
Rice wine making in India
Rice wine has a long tradition in India. A centuries-old, thriving rice wine industry exists in Assam, the country's northeast, with each tribe and ethnicity having its own distinctive flavor. The non-glutinous rice is used by the Karbi, Mishing, and Rabha tribes, while communities like the Bodo and Ahom use it extensively. Even though the variances appear to be slight, these minute adjustments and variations result in noticeable differences in the rice wine's quality and other attributes. Rice wine making process in India differs according to the region and the people who are making it.
FAQs
Q. How much alcohol is in rice wine?
Ans. Its alcohol concentration can range from 18% to 25%.
Q. What are the different types of rice wine available in Asian countries?
Ans. The three most prominent types of rice wine are sake (a Japanese drinking wine), mirin (a Japanese cooking wine), and huangjiu (a Chinese rice wine).
Q. What is rice wine called in Assam, India?
Ans. Particularly among the Assamese Ahoms community, it is known locally as "xaj-pani."