Chinese

Homemade Lye water (Kansui)

From the zcook collection

Make baked baking soda and mix a small portion with water when a recipe calls for homemade kansui. This alkaline cooking ingredient is measured into food recipes; it is not a drink.

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Vegan
Gluten-free
Dairy-free
Chinese
Cooking ingredient
Kansui
Baking soda

Prep: 2 min
Cook: 1 hr
Level: Easy

Method5 steps

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 120°C / 250°F.
Step 2: Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and spread plain food-grade baking soda over it in an even layer.
Uses Food-grade baking soda for an even layer
Step 3: Bake the tray of baking soda in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
Bake baking soda · 60 minUses Even layer of baking soda from step 2
Step 4: Let the baked powder cool naturally. Avoid direct skin contact; handle it with utensils or gloves, then transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it dry, sealed and out of children’s reach.
Uses Baked powder from step 3
Step 5: When a recipe calls for this homemade alkaline solution, mix 1 part cooled baked baking soda with 4 parts water by volume—for example, 1 tsp powder with 4 tsp water. Use only the amount of solution specified by that recipe. Mix it when needed, use a clean dry spoon for the stored powder, and reseal the container. Do not taste the powder or solution on its own.
Uses 1 volume part of the cooled baked powder from step 4 · 4 volume parts water for that chosen powder portion