How to Make Vietnamese Fermented Black Glutinous Rice
With this method of cooking black glutinous rice using a rice cooker, your rice will ferment after 2 days, perfect for making yogurt with black glutinous rice or for celebrating the Double Fifth Festival.
Fermented black glutinous rice, also known as black rice wine, is known as a traditional dish for pest control on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. However, for those who love making homemade yogurt, black glutinous rice is an essential ingredient to create delicious yogurt with black rice.
In this article, I’ll share how to cook fermented black glutinous rice that can be used both for pest control and to make a tasty yogurt treat during the hot summer months.
Ingredients
- Black glutinous rice: 250g
- Rice yeast: 6g
- Lotus leaves
Ingredient Notes
Using lotus leaves to ferment black glutinous rice is the best option, as they give the rice a fragrant and sweet aroma. You can substitute with banana leaves or aluminum foil if lotus leaves are unavailable.
Instructions
Soak the Black Glutinous Rice
Rinse the black glutinous rice in a large bowl with water, removing any floating husks or impurities. Then soak the rice for 5-6 hours to soften and allow it to expand.
Prepare the Ingredients
Use a small knife to scrape off the outer layer of the rice yeast, then pound it finely using a mortar and pestle.
Wash the lotus leaves and let them dry before cutting them into pieces large enough to wrap the rice later on.
You will also need a tray and a bowl underneath to catch any liquid released during fermentation.
Cook the Black Glutinous Rice
After soaking, place the black glutinous rice in a rice cooker, add enough water to just cover the rice, and cook it like regular rice (but with less water). Be careful not to add too much water, as it can make the rice mushy, which will affect the final product.
Once the rice is cooked, check its texture and fluff it with a spoon. Leave it in the rice cooker for another 5 minutes to steam. Then transfer the rice onto a plate and spread it out thinly to cool.
Once the rice has cooled down to a lukewarm temperature, use a fine sieve to evenly sprinkle the powdered rice yeast on top.
Gently mix the rice so that the yeast is evenly distributed.
Ferment the Black Glutinous Rice
After sprinkling the yeast and mixing it evenly, wait until the rice has completely cooled down. Then wrap the rice in lotus leaves or banana leaves. If you don't have these leaves, aluminum foil (the kind used for grilling) can be used instead.
The fermented rice will have a distinctive aroma from the yeast and the sweet fragrance of the lotus leaves, making it highly appealing.
How to Enjoy
How to Use Fermented Black Glutinous Rice
Fermented rice is most commonly made during the Double Fifth Festival. In addition to the traditional yellow glutinous rice, many people also prepare fermented black glutinous rice. The method is the same, only the type of rice differs.
During summer, fermented black glutinous rice can be mixed with yogurt (yogurt with rice, yogurt with black glutinous rice) for a refreshing and healthy snack, suitable for pregnant women and children.
Additional Information
With 250g of black glutinous rice, you can make around 2 small bowls of fermented rice. 6g of rice yeast is equivalent to half a yeast ball sold in dry goods stores. Since the size of yeast balls may vary depending on where you buy them, it’s best to have a kitchen scale for precise measurement.
