Vinegar has been around for centuries and its many varieties contain vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Most often used in food, it also has medicinal and household uses. Sugarcane vinegar is commonly used in Filipino cooking. Known for its sweet, mild taste, it's a delicious addition to salads, main dishes and desserts, and can be made from fresh sugarcane stalks or bottled cane sugar juice.
Prepare the Sugarcane Juice
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Fresh sugarcane should be washed thoroughly before using. Crush each stalk to remove all the juice. You can also use prepared cane sugar juice. Place the extracted juice into a glass or stainless-steel boiling pan and bring the cane sugar juice to a boil.
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Add the Yeast
Add 1/4 cake of yeast for each ounce of sugarcane juice and stir the mixture well with a wooden spoon. Transfer the mixture to ceramic jars and cover them with a dry cloth or towel.
Allow Alcohol to Form
Keep the jars in a dark place for two weeks to allow the juice to ferment into alcohol. Strain the fermented liquid to separate it from the yeast sediment.
Add Unpasteurized Vinegar
Add one part of unpasteurized vinegar to four parts of fermented sugarcane mixture. If you don't have unpasteurized vinegar, it can be purchased at a natural foods store. Stir the mixture well with a wooden spoon. Cover the jars with a clean cloth for one to two weeks, stirring twice a day.
Wait for Fermentation
Allow the mixture to ferment for four to six weeks. The length of time depends on personal taste -- the longer it ferments, the stronger it tastes.
Bottle Your Vinegar
Once fermentation is complete, strain your vinegar into glass bottles with tight-fitting lids.