It is that time of the year to start tasting wine... Here is a recipe that makes 6-7 bottles.
Beetroot wine
Ingredients
Beetroot – 3 kgs
Sugar – 2 and a half kg
Water – As needed
Cardamom – 6 nos
Cloves – 4 nos
Cinnamon – Two 1-inch pieces
Paddy grains – 2 tbsp
Method
Peel the beetroot. Wash well. Chop into small cubes. In a large vessel, place the beetroot and fill it with water that is 2 inches above the surface level of the beets. Boil the beetroot, adding 3 cardamom, 2 cloves and a piece of cinnamon, until soft and cooked. Squeeze the beetroot and strain through a clean muslin cloth. Squeeze the residue and add the residual juice. Keep aside to cool.
In a large utensil, place the sugar and 2 cups of water. Simmer until the sugar melts into a syrup, like honey in texture. Remove from flame. Add the beetroot extract. Stir well. Pour the beetroot juice into a ceramic jar. Add 3 cardamom, 2 cloves and a piece of cinnamon.
Wash the rice paddy grains and pat dry. Sprinkle the them the jar. Stir well. Close the jar. You could even tie with a cloth and string. Every day, open the jar and with a long-handled ladle, stir the contents. Close with the lid and cover with the cloth and tie with a string, each time.
Do this for the first 21 days. On the 22nd day, stop the stirring process. Leave, covered and undisturbed for 10-15 days. Pass the wine contents through a muslin cloth. Pour the main wine after keeping at room temperature for 2-3 hours into bottles that have been washed in hot water and dried the day before.
