Tips and Guides

NATA DE COCO FROM COCONUT WATER

Materials:

Coconut water
Acetic acid
Refined sugar
Nata starter
Ammonium phosphate

Equipments:

Weighing scale
Strainers
Wide-mouthed glass jars or basins Kettles

Procedure:

1. The collected coconut water is filtered through a cheesecloth. One hundred (100 gms.) refined sugar and 5 grams monobasic ammonium phosphate is mixed for every liter of coconut water in a container. The container is covered and the mixture allowed to boil. It is then allowed to cool after boiling and 6.9 ml. of glacial acetic acid is added.

2. 110-150 ml. of starter (available at ITDI, DOST) is added to the mixture. It is subsequently transferred to big mouthed clean jars leaving ample space atop mixture and covered with clean cheese cloth. The culture is allowed to grow at room temperature for 15 days or more. Note: Do not move jars during growth period.

3. Harvest is ready after 15 days or more, making sure that all conditions are aseptic so as to enable one to reuse the remaining liquid which serves as starter for succeeding preparations.

4. Dessert Making. The “nata” is cut into cubes and is subjected to a series of boiling with fresh water until acidity is totally removed. One kilo of refined sugar is added for every kilo of nata and are mixed. It is brought to boiling until the “nata” cubes become transparent.

NATA DE COCO FROM COCONUT MILK

Materials:

1 kilo Grated coconut
600 gms. Refined sugar
1/2 liter Coconut water
12 liters Ordinary water
2 liters Nata starter (available at ITDI, DOST)
325 c Glacial acetic acid (available in drugstores)

Procedure:

1. Extract the cream from the coconut, strain through a cheesecloth.

2. Mix all ingredients.

3. Transfer to big mouthed clean jars and allow around 2-3 inches in height of the liquid.

4. Cover with a clean cheesecloth. The culture is allowed to grow at room temperature for 15 days or more. Note: Do not move the jars during growth period.

5. Harvest is ready after 15 days or more, making sure that all conditions are aseptic so as to enable one to reuse the remaining liquid which serves as starter for succeeding preparations.

6. Dessert Making: The “nata” is cut into cubes and is subjected to a series of boiling with fresh water until acidity is totally removed. One kilo of refined sugar is added for every kilo of nata and are mixed. It is brought to boiling until the “nata” cubes become transparent.

Source: Technology developed by: ITDI (DOST)

Ingredients:

4 cups sliced green mangoes (Carabao or Pico variety)

1 piece of ginger root

1 clove garlic

8 pcs native onions

2 pcs hot pepper1 small box raisins

2 cups vinegar

3 cups brown sugar

4 tbsp coarse salt

Procedure:

Salts sliced green mangoes and allow to stand overnight, then drain. Boil vinegar and sugar. Add spices. Simmer until thick. Add the sliced mangoes and continue cooking until transparent. Pack in sterilized jars. Cool and store.

Firm ripe mangoes

Refined sugar

Calcium chloride

Citric acid

Procedure:

Select firm ripe mangoes free from bruises and blemishes. Wash mangoes to remove surface dirt, slice into halves, scoop out flesh with a stainless steel, and place in sterilized jars. Prepare medium syrup 35 degree Brix (approximate 1 cup sugar for every 2 cups of water). If desired, use 50-degree Brix syrup (1-cup sugar for a cup of water). Boil and add calcium chloride (1/4 teaspoon per 4 cups syrup) and citric acid (1/8 teaspoon per 4 cups syrup). Pour hot syrup into jars leaving a ¼-inch headspace. Exhaust by heating the filled jar over a steamer until the internal pressure seals cap jars tightly. Process in boiling water for 25 minutes. Cool, label, and store.

When I was in KSA a few years ago, I wondered about the procedure how to make beer at home or in the kitchen until I read a post in jandrhanson blog about beer making. It is so simple you can do it yourself in your kitchen in about 15 minutes. You can modify this method, of course, you only have to remember that the more sugar, and if fruits are used; the brewing will create a stronger drink. Here is an excerpt for the Ginger Beer from jandrhanson’s blog:

Ginger Beer

1 cup raw sugar
2-3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger root (luya)
Juice of 2 lemons (kalamansi)
Strips of lemon peel (balat ng kalamansi)
1/4 teaspoon fresh champagne yeast (from a home-brewer store) ( you can also use an ordinary yeast used in making bread)
Fresh, pure water

For 1 liter of ginger beer: clean 1 liter plastic soft drink bottle with cap; it’s not a bad idea to pour a little hot water over and into them to sterilize, but be careful not to boil them! (you can also use smaller or larger bottle depending on size of batch; I prefer four 500 mL plastic bottles)

1) Gently boil the sugar in 1 cup of water with the ginger root and strips of lemon peel from one or more lemons (not the white pith, just the outer yellow skin), until thickened and syrupy – about half an hour. Let cool to about 90-100 degrees – about an hour depending on your room temp.

2) Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water and let sit for no more than 10-15 minutes.

3) When the syrup has cooled, remove lemon peels but leave in ginger. Add the yeast and stir well. Split the ginger syrup evenly between the bottle/s.

4) Fill the bottles with fresh water to about 1 1/2 – 2? from the top. Put the caps on securely. Squeeze a bottle near the top to feel how it feels un-carbonated.

5) Place the bottles in a warm out-of-the-way place for 24 hours if it’s warm (80-90 degrees) – I put ours inside a cooler in the workshop, in case a bottle blows, to confine the mess. To check the bottle for carbonation, gently – gently! – squeeze and you’ll feel the firm pressure. If it’s cooler, it might take longer.

6) After the ginger beer has carbonated, refrigerate to stop the yeast action. It’s advisable to release a little of the pressure when it goes into the fridge – loosen cap slightly and let it “pish” just a tad.

7) To serve, pour through a strainer, and don’t pour all the way out or shake, as you don’t want the yeast sediment in the bottom.

Enjoy!