Can I mix food grade lye (sodium hydroxide) with water to make kansui?
I have food grade lye (sodium hydroxide) from pretzel making and I want to make chewy noodles, either ramen or Chinese noodles. Many of these recipes call for lye water or kansui.
I have found many resources about making your own kansui from baking soda (for example Can I substitute baking soda for kansui powder?), but none that start with lye.
I've found that kansui has a pH of about 12.6 and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) has a pH of 14. Using a pH calculator, I should get a pH of 12.6 with 0.04 moles of NaOH in 1 liter of solute (water). That's 1.5 grams per liter. (It has been a while since high school chemistry so please jump in here if I'm making a massive mistake)
Is this a valid approach to making lye water or kansui? What might I be overlooking?
Best Answer
80% potassium carbonate, 20% sodium bicarbonate at some concentration https://omnivorescookbook.com/kansui is likely to behave very differently than your sodium hydroxide. Kansui is probably strongly buffered, while your pH is likely to wander. That sort of thing is liable to wreck recipes. I'd find a good how-to online, and make the stuff right.
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How do you make liquid kansui?
For the homemade version, you'll need to mix baked baking soda with water at a ratio of 1:4. That is to say, for example, for 1 teaspoon of baked baking soda, you'll need 4 teaspoons of water to dilute. It's best to mix baked baking soda and water when you're ready to use it for a recipe.What can you use instead of kansui?
These days, you can find kansui in many Asian markets and on Amazon. It can be replaced by a homemade version made from two extremely common ingredients \u2013 baking soda and water. There are two approaches to making alkaline solution at home: one that uses baking soda and one that uses baked baking soda.What is food grade lye used for?
This strong alkaline compound is used sparingly in baking due its dominate properties. While stronger solutions of lye have been made famous for making soap and other cleaners, food-grade lye is a much milder solution. It is commonly used as a preservative or softening agent.How do you make edible lye water?
In a medium pot, add 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. (I used the cup for dry ingredients and not the cup for liquid or pitcher style). Bring it to a boil over high heat for about 5 minutes. Make sure to use a shallow pot so it will not overflow and do not leave it unattended.Making Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) From Salt
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