Tuak – Malaysian Style Rice Wine

Tuak is a traditional rice wine that is popular in Borneo and other parts of Southeast Asia. It is made by fermenting glutinous rice, sugar, and yeast, and has a sweet and slightly alcoholic flavor.

West Malaysia

In Borneo and Sarawak, tuak is often made with sugar, which adds a distinct sweetness to the flavor of the wine. It can also be distilled into arak, which is a clear, strong alcoholic beverage that is popular in Borneo and other parts of Southeast Asia.

While tuak is a beloved traditional beverage, it is often replaced by commercial alcoholic drinks in modern times. Despite this, many people still cherish the traditional recipe and continue to make and enjoy it at home.

Yeast?

The yeast is known as "ragi" in Malaysia or yeast balls but I substituted Chinese rice leaven due to not having the availability here. The rice leaven has the same effect it first converts the starch in the rice to sugar and then the sugar to alcohol. Baking or Brewers yeast will not work. The addition of sugar after the initial 10 days is optional, you can just let the rice ferment without it giving a pure rice Tuak.

INGREDIENTS

First Fermentation:

1 kg (2.2 lbs) Glutinous (Sticky) Rice

1.2 kg (2.6 lbs) Water

Second Fermentation:

500 g (1.1 lbs) Sugar

1 kg (2.2 lbs) Water

INSTRUCTIONS

Soak the rice covered by at least 2.5cm of water overnight. Drain the water the next day and rice the rice a few times until the water is clear. Pour off the water and re-weigh the rice. Minus 1kg (for the initial weight of the rice) and top up the rice until the scales read 1.2kg. (This accounts for the water that is absorbed to the rice while soaking).

Let the rice cool to less than 35 degrees C. Sprinkle in the yeast and mix well. You are trying to let the yeast touch every grain of rice. Add a sprinkle of water if it is too difficult to mix but not too much.

Add the rice to sterilized jars. Leave at least 1/3 of the jar empty to allow for expansion. Loosely tighten the lids or cover with a cloth and leave in a cool dark place for 10 days. After a few days you will see liquid start to form at the bottom of the jars and bubbles appear.

After 10 days. Dissolve the sugar for the second fermentation in boiling water. Allow this to cool to below 35 degrees C and add it to the rice mixture. Allow fermentation to continue for at least 20 days more.

Strain and bottle the rice wine. It will be very cloudy but will clear with time. You will need to rack the wine (pour the clear liquid into new bottles, leaving the sediment behind) a couple of times. It can be drunk straight away but is best left to mellow for a year or so.