Description

Niblack Foods Alum Powder

Description:

Discover the versatile uses of Niblack Foods Alum Powder, an essential ingredient for various culinary and household applications. Alum powder is widely known for its role in pickling recipes as a preservative, helping to maintain the crispness of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, it serves as the acidic component in some commercial baking powders, contributing to a faintly metallic taste. Though it should be used with caution due to its toxicity in large quantities, alum powder remains a valuable tool in the kitchen and beyond.

Pickling Perfection: Alum powder is used in vinegar brine for pickles and maraschino cherries. The aluminum content strengthens the cell walls of fruits and vegetables, resulting in crisp pickles and firm cherries.

Homemade Projects: Alum powder is a key ingredient in homemade (and inedible) modeling clay for kids, providing a fun and creative activity.

Crispy Creations: Try making “Sun Dried Potato Chips” by thinly slicing potatoes, soaking them overnight in water with a pinch of alum powder, then rinsing and boiling until partially cooked. After drying in the sun for up to two days, these chips can be stored for up to a year and fried later. Sprinkle with red chili pepper or your favorite Niblack Seasoning Blend for added flavor.

Delicious Youtiao: Alum powder is essential for creating a light, crispy, and yeasty batch of deep-fried youtiao (long Chinese doughnuts). This ingredient is crucial for achieving the perfect texture in this delectable fried treat.

Youtiao (Chinese Donuts) Recipe:

  • Yeast Starter:
    • 1 tbsp flour
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 2 tbsp lukewarm water
    • 1 tsp yeast
  • Dough:
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp ammonium bicarbonate
    • 1/2 tsp alum
    • 2 tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. Combine all yeast starter ingredients in a mixing bowl and place in a warm location until foamy.
  2. Sift dough ingredients together (except water) in a separate bowl.
  3. Pour the yeast starter and water into the dough mixture, then knead until smooth (about 5 minutes).
  4. Place in a dusted bowl, set aside for 30 minutes, then lightly knead for 2 more minutes.
  5. Cover tightly with cling wrap and leave in a warm location for 2 hours.
  6. Roll dough into a long rectangle (4 in x 24 in x 0.5 in), cut into 1/2 inch strips, and place two strips together.
  7. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown and puffy.

Niblack Foods Alum Powder is your go-to ingredient for adding crispness and texture to your culinary creations. Enjoy the versatility and enhance your cooking with this indispensable kitchen staple.