Snow lotus yeast enzyme (天山雪莲)

This is an enzyme drink was recommended by my wife's colleague, Ms. J. It contains most, if not all of the characteristics of any enzyme drink (the sourness, alcohol taste due to fermentation, etc). In addition to that, the Snow Lotus plant is said to contain medicinal properties and was used for centuries by medical practitioners in China and Tibet to cure diseases and enhance health. Most of the information on the net are available in Chinese (unfortunately I can't read Chinese) though.

One fine night on a rainy weekend, we followed Ms. J to Mr. A's house to have a look on how this enzyme is fermented and harvested from the so-called yeast of the Snow Lotus. We got some yeast from Mr. A and made it at home.

Some basic tools/instruments that you need for the entire process are listed below:
1. Big plastic bucket/container (for temporarily storing the enzyme)
2. Smaller plastic bucket (for mixing brown sugar with filtered water)
3. Plastic filters
4. Cloth coffee filter (for filtering diluted brown sugar)
5. Wooden/plastic spatula (for diluting brown sugar with filtered water)
6. Rice bowls
7. Glass container with plastic, screwed on cover (for fermentation)
8. A funnel (for pouring the enzyme into glass bottles)

Below are the ingredients and procedures (Mr. A already made one for us so what we did was to harvest and make a new one):
1. Pour out the fermented yeast (enzyme) into a clear plastic container by filtering the yeast and the enzyme

2. Clean the glass container

3. The ingredients should be mixed in the following proportions depending on the size of your glass container (note that there is no strict ruling that the ratios below have to be exact, you may adjust according to preference, e.g. if you accidentally added more than 3l of water, you can add more sugar and yeast to balance up again):

• 6 bowls of Snow Lotus yeast
• 2 bowls of brown sugar (Thai brown sugar cost around RM28 for 7kg, preferably use Indian brown sugar at RM21 for 7kg)
  
• 2.7-3 liters of filtered water

Mix 2 bowls of brown sugar with 3 liters of filtered water. The brown sugar is hard, the wooden spatula is for stirring and crushing the sugar while mixing:

The brown sugar solution will contain some dirt, pieces of cane, etc therefore a coffee filter is needed for extra filtering:

Upon finishing the above procedures, the last step is to close the lid. You need to close and tighten the lid once, open it then close and tighten in again. The fermentation process should take place is a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for 4 days (e.g. you start on Sunday night 9pm, next harvesting day will be Thurday before 9pm) until the next harvest.

After every 5th harvest, you should rinse the yeast using filtered water. If you plan to stop the fermentation/harvesting for a short period (say you have holiday plans, etc), you can store the yeast in the refrigerator up to 3 months.


Things to note during the process are as per below:
1. The enzyme should not have any contact with metal
2. The bottle storing the enzyme should have a screwed on cap so that it can be allowed to breathe
3. Instruments should never have any contact with oil
4. The longer you ferment, the more sour the enzyme.


Things to note for consumers:
1. This drink can be taken before or after meals, more than once a day (Gastric patients should consume after meals)
2. Consumers that has coronary diseases and asthmatic patients should dilute the enzyme with water before drinking.
3. Not suitable for pregnant ladies but can be taken 3 months after labour
4. Enzyme should be drank 4 hours later after consuming tuber crops (such as potatoes)
5. This drink is some what "heaty" therefore drink lots of water. Coconut water helps as well.

Updates as of 23rd Aug 2010

Click for larger image :)



Disclaimer:

This site is available for your personal and non-commercial use only. You may not copy, reproduce, post, distribute, republish, transmit or modify in any way all or any part of the site or the information or data contained in this site.


THIS WEBSITE AND THE CONTENT AVAILABLE ON IT ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND YOU AGREE THAT USE OF THIS WEBSITE AND/OR ITS CONTENT IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.


THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE ACCURATE, COMPLETE, RELIABLE, CURRENT, OR ERROR-FREE. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE AND CONTENT IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.