CHEERS TO THE SEASON

JAATHIKKA THODU WINE

Ingredients:

Jaathikka thodu- 1 kg (It is the fruity yellow cover of nutmeg)

Sugar- One and a half kg

Sugar for caramelising - 1 cup

Boiling water- Two and a half litres

Yeast- half tsp

Method:

Chop the jaathikka thodu into small pieces. Put chopped thodu and sugar in a big jar and add boiling water. Mix well. When it has cooled and is warm add yeast to the mixture. Mix well. When the mixture cools down further, tie the jar with a muslin cloth or close it loosely with a lid. Stir the mixture every day for five minutes. After 21 days strain the mixture through a muslin cloth into a clean, dry bottle. For caramelising sugar, heat 1 cup of sugar on medium flame until it turns dark brown. Add a cup of hot water to the browned sugar and boil. Turn off the gas and mix with the wine when it is cool. Season this for 21 days without stirring. After this, siphon or strain the wine into clean dry small bottles.

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PINEAPPLE SKIN WINE

Ingredients

Pineapple- 2

Sugar- 3 cup

Water - 2 bottles

Egg white beaten- 1

Ginger powder- 1 tbsp

Cinnamon – 1’’ piece- 2

Cloves- 5

Yeast -1 tsp

Method

Clean pineapple with skin thoroughly. Remove skin thickly and chop skin and the remaining portion. Mix with other ingredients in a jar or glass bottle. Tie the bottle with a clean cloth and keep aside. Stir the mixture everyday for five minutes. After three weeks strain the mixture into a clean bottle and allow it to season for three weeks more. Do not stir or open the bottle. After that siphon it and keep it in other small bottles. The peach colour of this will change to a richer whisky colour with aging.

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Ginger wine

Ingredients

Grated ginger- 250 grams

Sugar- 1 kg

Water- 3 litre

Lemon juice- 2 tbsp

Cloves- 5

Cinnamon 1” piece- 2

Cardamom- 4

Caramelized sugar syrup- quarter cup

Method

Crush cinnamon and cloves. Boil water, sugar, grated ginger, crushed cinnamon and cloves in a big vessel. Reduce the flame and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the gas and keep aside for a day. On the next day drain the syrup into a big glass bottle and add lemon juice. Add cooled caramelised sugar syrup. Keep aside for another day and siphon the wine into small bottles. For caramelising sugar heat three tablespoons of sugar until it becomes dark brown on medium flame. Add half cup of hot water to the browned sugar and boil. Turn off the gas and mix this with the wine when it is cool.

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JACKFRUIT WINE

Ingredients

Jackfruit pulp- 1 kg

Sugar- 750 grams

Water- two and a half litre

Yeast- half tsp

Method

Cut the jackfruit and take out the flesh (chakka chula). Remove the seeds. Chop it and add enough water to cover and cook well on slow flame. Cool it well and then put it in a blender. Mix it well and take the jackfruit pulp out. Meanwhile dissolve sugar in water and make a syrup. Dissolve yeast with half teaspoon sugar in lukewarm water. Mix this yeast with jackfruit pulp and sugar syrup and pour into a clean jar or sterilised bottle. Close it with a muslin cloth tied over the mouth. Keep aside for 15 to 20 days. Strain and keep aside for another five days.

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Guava wine

Ingredients

Guava- 1 kg

Sugar- 2 kg

Boiled water- 4 litres

Yeast- 1 tbsp

Method

Wash and wipe guava. Dice it into small pieces. Put it into a sterilised glass bottle or jar with sugar, yeast, boiled and cooled water. Mix well and cover the bottle with a clean cloth or a loosely fitting lid. Stir this mixture for 21 days. After 21 days strain this through a muslin cloth into a clean dry vessel. Pour this into a sterilised bottle. Keep this again for another 21 days and thereafter siphon or strain the wine and pour into clean bottles.

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BANANA WINE

Ingredients

Banana (palayancodan pazham) - 2 kg

Banana skin chopped- 1 cup

Sugar- one and a half kg

Raisins - 100 gm

Lemon - 1

Orange -1

Water - 5 litres

Yeast- 1 tbsp

Method

Wash, peel and slice bananas. Chop half of the banana peels. After squeezing out the juices from the orange and lemon, chop the peels. Remove the white portion (fibre). Place this in a large saucepan with water and raisins. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain out the pulp. Add sugar, yeast, lemon juice and orange juice to the hot mixture and stir to dissolve. Leave for five days, stirring daily. There will be heavy foaming during fermentation. On the fifth day siphon into another bottle. For a sweet wine add 100 grams more sugar.