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Ruchik Randhap

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Rice Wine


It’s never too late to post a wine recipe is it? Well, I think you may just have another wine, just in time for Christmas if you make it right away! Pronto! Got caught up in a million little things at home and somehow although I’ve been grooving to the Christmas songs I am yet to execute my long list of Christmas To-Dos. I am so excited to look forward to the lovely and busy month of December. Birthdays, shopping, travelling, meeting family & friends, celebrating Christmas and then bringing in the New Year and a brand new month & year before we head back to our lives here in Mumbai. So many things to do and so little time! Well, I am saying this despite the fact that I’ve been planning for Christmas since two months, time never seems enough. I have a whole laundry list of things to do – try out new recipes & post them on the blog, buy gifts and wrap them, put up the Christmas tree & decorations – all before the 18th of Dec before I travel. Phew!

The past couple of weeks saw me scavenging around for wine bottles. Well, these are not specially crafted bottles (like the decanter) but just pretty ones that I wanted to store the wine in and possibly gift someone. It is really sad that in a place like Mumbai where it is almost impossible to return empty handed from a shopping trip for anything that you fancy, I did not find a single bottle! Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Home Centre, Home Stop and my local crockery-wala – the answer was always ‘no’. Finally I went to Andheri Market and asked for a wine bottle or bottle to store wine and got puzzled looks in return. Eventually I had to shed my inhibitions and bluntly ask for ‘sharaab ka bothal‘ (liquor bottle) and got smirks instead. As if I was going to a liquor shop to buy my quota of booze. Tsk tsk!

The only option I was left with was to actually empty my collection of liquor/wines in my bar at home (which my man only likes to collect although both of us don’t go beyond an occasional beer or wine while we entertain guests). Anyway, a big lesson learnt – never attempt making wine at home unless you have enough bottles to store it in! (and of course a large glass/ceramic jar to make the wine in).You see, after I made the ginger wine (which is tasting better with every passing day) I caught this major obsession to try out wine after wine from my mum’s handwritten book [I am clarifying this as I got mails from readers asking if my mother had published a book – well, no, she hasn’t authored any although it’s not such a bad idea , I must tell her!:-)]

So coming back to the Rice wine, the very name gives you a feel that this could be the typical oriental variety. Rice wine features prominently in Chinese & East Asian’s cuisines. The Japanese Sake (pronounced as Sa-Keh) is gaining popularity thanks to restaurants that bring world cuisine especially the Sushi to the table. Although in Japan Sake is more of a general term for all kind of alcoholic beverages, the rice alcohol is called the Nihonshu and is made through a brewing process more like that of beer than a regular fermenting process that the wine calls for.

So that makes us Mangaloreans the pioneers in making sweet wine made of rice by the fermenting process (ha! Just kidding). Rice wine looks & tastes almost like toddy (palm wine) in its nascent stages. Mine turned out a bit more strong since I was over ambitious about making the entire quantity of wine (with 4.5 litres of wine when my ceramic jar could hold only 4 litres of liquid). So as and how the rice & sugar was added to the water, the water started spilling out of the jar. Tsk tsk! Too bad I didn’t realise that the jar needs to be really large to accommodate all that water, sugar & rice – I had the Thirsty Crow story unfolding right in front of my eyes 🙁 I did remove a litre of water from the jar, so that explains why the wine is a lot more strong than intended – but that’s ok, I can drink my blues away someday in the future and get totally intoxicated, haha!

I think Ginger & Rice wines are so apt for the Christmas season – Mangalorean tradition says so. Grape wine however is an all season wine and is more associated with the wedding celebrations (but let’s not get into the discussion of whether they even serve genuine wine at weddings these days)

Do try this wine right away if you want to taste it just in time for Christmas. Instead of the customary 3 weeks, you may keep this wine to ferment for 17-18 days (or until the frothing stops) and then decant. Bottle it just before serving. Making it for New Year is not such a bad idea (assuming you have already made the ginger wine for Christmas)

 

Rice Wine
Preparation time: 10 mins | Fermenting time: 3 weeks | Yield: approx 4.5 litres
You Need:
  • 4-1/2 litres boiled & cooled water
  • 350 gm raw rice * see notes
  • 1.5 kg sugar
  • juice of 3 limes (or lemons)
  • 120 gm raisins (preferably golden)
  • 1-1/2 tbsp dried yeast (I used DCL)
  • 50ml brandy
You will also require:
  • a clean & dry 6 litre glass or ceramic jar (‘buyaon’ in Konkani/ ‘bharani‘ in Kannada)
  • a long spoon or spatula to stir the contents
  • clean & dry empty wine or liquor bottles (approx 3 standard bottles)
  • a strainer
  • a large, clean & dry steel vessel to strain out the contents
  • a clean & dry funnel to pour the wine into the bottle
Method:
1. Extract the juice of the limes. Clean raisins, wash, dry & set aside. Dissolve the yeast in a little lukewarm water.
2. Place all the ingredients including the water into the ceramic jar and stir the sugar until it is mixed well (doesn’t need to dissolve right away as granulated sugar will take sometime to dissolve which is ok)
3. Keep the jar in a warm dry place of your kitchen. Stir the contents with the long spoon/spatula once a day. Gently squeeze the puffed up raisins that float to surface with your fingers – this is just to get all the juices out of the raisins.
4. After 3 weeks strain the contents into the clean, dry steel vessel. Discard the rice & raisin skins. Add the brandy, give it a stir and store the liquid back into the washed & dried ceramic jar until you are ready to bottle it or use a funnel to fill the bottles with the wine.
5. Ensure that the bottles are placed where they needn’t be moved around (this is because the decanting process requires the containers to be absolutely still as the sediment settles to the bottom of the bottles).
Notes:
You can use any type of raw rice (belthige as its called in Kannada, Surai as its called in Konkani) I used cheaper quality Basmati rice. You needn’t wash the rice.


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Comments

  5. Radhika says

    You have to share the prettily packed bottles with us all Shireen. It looks funny with milk bottle thinking aloud. I have seen wine making just heard of it from our Anglo indian neighbor and thanks for sharing this post pa. Hope you get to finish all your chores before the festive time.

    Reply

  6. Shireen Sequeira says

    Thanks for the lovely comments ladies!!
    @Priya: Do try & let me know how it turned out!
    @Sayantani: Thanks so much, let me know if u try it.
    @Pooja & Radhika: Yes, I have bought a wine decanter, but to gift the ginger wine in, guess, I should have used it for the pics at least 🙁
    Thanks Radhika, I hope to finish all the chores in a stress free manner before I leave!

    Reply

  9. CaySera says

    Hey Shireen…..what an interesting write up!!
    Yes do tell your mom to write a book……im sure I will buy a copy 🙂
    This is one of my fav wines…..do save a bottle for me 😉

    Reply

  11. julie says

    Hey Shireen,
    Thanx for the query dear.. I shall edit my page what I really meant to say was not to add in any branded liquor varieties but then this is real worth it .. I have made grape wines , Ginger wines at home but never tried rice..do we really need to add brandy?? You can link it dear..

    Reply

  15. Charishma says

    ha haaa thank you Shireen for the comment on the thai curry….would have sent a bowl to ur house if i was in mumbai….you know each time some tells me that pictures look good(honestly) …I always think about you 🙂
    cherieamma :p

    Reply

  19. Anonymous says

    Thanks for all your lovely recipes. Thinking of trying out your ginger and rice wine. Can we minus out the brandy while making them??Waiting anxiously for your reply.

    Reply

  20. Anonymous says

    Tks for all your awesome recipes. Would like to know if I can make ginger/rice wine minus the brandy??????????Pls reply soon. Tks in adv. Love and regards Blossom

    Reply

  22. Anonymous says

    🙂 Hi Shireen – The recipe is well illustrated and explained and your intro about christmas frenzy and anticipation too is most familiar. We all go thru this holiday mood all through Dasara, Diwali, Christmas and New Year. The shops and marketers wont let us forget and the festive spirit is contageous. However each time we step into chruch we are reminded to celebrate a spiritual christmas too, in addition to all the festivities and celebrations. I wish you a holy, peaceful christmas alongwith everything else:)

    Reply

  24. Anonymous says

    Hi,
    After reading the recipe, i couldn't stop myself. So i took a 10 ltr tupperware box and mixed everything as per your directions. Will the wine turnout to be good, as i did not use Buyanv, as you suggested. Keeping my fingers crossed.
    Ramola

    Reply

  25. Shireen Sequeira says

    Hi Ramola, I am not very sure if the plastic container will make a difference to the taste of the wine, but I guess it should not be a problem as I know many people make/store/sell wine in plastic containers. However as per tradition and what I know foods such as wines and pickles are best made in earthenware. I am sorry, i m not much of an expert on this top as i have not made it in anything but a buyaon

    Reply

  26. Anonymous says

    Hi Shireen, finally i decanted the rice wine and filled in the bottles. colour looked like your pictures. Luckily no fungus or bad taste. as the first batch goes for circulation for taste comments/critic, i think i can try in Tupperware again! Mixed the ginger wine in a glass jar and it smells real good! thanks and Merry Christas
    Ramola

    Reply

  27. Teena Augustine says

    Hey Shireen, I tried ghee chicken and dukra maas from your recipes and they made my family fall in love with Mangalorean cuisine. I am gonna try this wine today will let you know the result 🙂

    Reply

  28. brenji yumnam says

    Hi Shireen, I just came across this interesting Rice Wine recipe which I am really interested too. Can you please let me know whether the jar needs to be sealed after mixing all the ingredients or not…

    Reply

  29. brenji yumnam says

    Hi Shireen, I just came across this very interesting Rice wine recipe of yours, if you still active please let me know whether the jar needs to be sealed or not after putting all the ingredients.

    Reply

  30. Shireen Sequeira says

    Hi Brenji: You don't need to seal the jar, just close it lightly with a thick cloth tied firmly over the mouth of the jar, this way, it gets plenty of air inside the jar and also prevents dirt etc from falling into it. Good luck!

    Reply

  32. Carol Mendonsa says

    Hi Shireen,
    Thank you for this wonderful recipe. My mum and I were very happy with the result. In fact we just bottled our rice wine and I must say that we were very pleased with the result. Considering this is my first attempt at wine making, your well guided recipe, pictures and write up made for an interesting read. My mom and I are big fans of your blog 🙂
    I have a quick question. Would it be OK to add an egg white at the beginning in order to clarify the wine? My wine altho' delicious, does lack that golden shade. It looks more like toddy.
    I read about the clarifying technique from your link and also noticed that you used an egg white in your pineapple peel wine recipe.
    Do you think maybe next time I could try adding the egg white?
    Thanks & Regards,
    Carol Sequeira

    Reply

  33. Shireen Sequeira says

    @ Carol Mendonsa: Happy to know that you made and liked this wine 🙂 Well, I have made this wine only once and maybe you could add the egg white..from my experience I didn't get much of a golden colour either. Do give it a try and let me know how it works!

    Reply

  35. Gayatri says

    Hi Shireen, I just tried this recipe.. Its been two weeks, and now when I came back to read I realized that I put the brandy in the beginning itself, on Day 1,as the step mentioned ‘put all ingredients’. Do you think I have ruined it? I can smell the fermentation going on though.. Like a sweet sour smell.

    Reply

    • Shireen Sequeira says

      Hi Gayatri,

      My apologies for the delay in responding. Yes, the wine will smell like it has fermented. It will be okay, don’t worry!

      Reply

  38. Rohini says

    Can I reduce the sugar quantity to make a more dry wine?
    What do you do with the rice and raisins after your filter the wine?

    Reply

    • Shireen Sequeira says

      Yes you can reduce the sugar to make dry wine. I discarded the rice and raisins..I am not sure if anything can be done..

      Reply

  39. jagmohan says

    One gentleman from goa, Edwin Saldanha has written a very good book – Goan home wines.
    He has described several wines including ginger and rice wine (2 recipe) plus a few more. Also included is very useful information on different stages. The proportions suggested work very well.

    The book is available on Amazon.

    Reply
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