Substitute for calcium oxide (lime) to keep pumpkin from falling apart
The recipe for this pumpkin dessert from Mexico says I should leave the pumpkin pieces submerged in water with calcium oxide (lime) for 3 hours, so that the pumpkin doesn't just become puree when I boil it in a later step.
I read on the internet that lime sold for construction work can contain harmful adhesives and, since I'm not currently in Mexico, I don't know where to buy lime that is safe for the kitchen.
Is there another method to keep the pumpkin from turning into goop?
Best Answer
Your problem is that you're looking for the wrong kind of lime.
Calcium oxide, or Quicklime, is indeed only used for building and chemical purposes. You want Calcium Hydroxide, otherwise known as Pickling Lime. You can but it online, or from any store that sells pickling supplies.
And it's a good thing you didn't try the calcium oxide, there's a good chance you'd have blown up the stew. It heats up when hydrated.
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Is there a substitute for calcium hydroxide?
People, people people! If you don't have slaked lime, or don't want to burn your arms off with slaked lime, then just substitute BAKING SODA.What is an alternative for pickling lime?
A number of recipes offer alternatives to keep your pickles crunchy. These include soaking vegetables in ice water for four to five hours before pickling or using pickling salt. If you still want to use pickling lime for canning, just make sure you use food-grade calcium hydroxide.Is lime the same as calcium oxide?
Lime is commonly referred to by a number of terms including quicklime, calcium oxide, high calcium lime, or dolomitic lime. All refer to the same material, lime.What is the difference between calcium and lime?
Calcium oxide has a heavy density (65lb/ft\xb3) and is more reactive than hydrated lime. To simplify, hydrated lime is the result of adding water to powdered quicklime, putting it in a kiln or oven, and then pulverizing it with water. The resulting lime has a density of about 35lb/ft\xb3, and is called calcium hydroxide.More answers regarding substitute for calcium oxide (lime) to keep pumpkin from falling apart
Answer 2
Horticultural lime is usually a mixture of calcium and magnesium hydroxides. It's probably not too late to pick up some pickling lime in the canning section of your grocery store. That's CaOH. Besides Hispanic grocers, east Asian and Chinese groceries usually carry it. If you find Betel nuts, there is bound to be powdered lime in the same store
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