[요리 N 화니] 오묘하고 매력적인 단맛! '오키나와 흑당'이야기 / 黒糖 / Okinawan Black Sugar / Cane sugar / Asia Food / 늄냠TV

Links for Where to Buy Okinawa Brown Sugar Powder Type https://coupa.ng/bhbr0M Large Type https://coupa.ng/bhbr2j ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello~ This is Hwani's Kitchen. What's this recipe for N Hwani? It's the "Okinawa Brown Sugar," which was briefly mentioned in the Rafute video. This brown sugar has been used as a sweetener in Okinawa for a long time. However, it differs significantly from the sugar we commonly know. What makes it different? The fundamental difference lies in whether it's refined or unrefined. Sugar has a very long history, and the method of boiling and concentrating sugarcane juice has been used for thousands of years. Sugarcane, native to Southeast Asia, contains a large amount of sugar in its sap. Sugar factories are usually located not far from sugarcane fields. This is partly due to transportation, and partly because, from a modern perspective, it's cheaper to maintain the factory this way. First, the harvested sugar is pressed (or pounded) to extract the juice. If you travel to Southeast Asia, like Vietnam or Thailand, you'll see sugarcane juice sold on the streets. Think of it as something similar. This juice is filtered through a cloth or something similar, then poured into a pot and boiled down. This process concentrates the sugar and gradually thickens it. It eventually turns into a porridge-like consistency. This is then spread on a large plate and solidified, creating "raw sugar." Okinawa brown sugar is this raw sugar. Commonly known as "jaggery," it's a very primitive form of sugar. Raw sugar made by boiling down the sap of coconut, palm, and other plants is also called "jaggery." Raw sugar made this way is black, with a slightly salty and sour flavor and a distinctive aroma. That's because raw sugar contains not only sucrose but also molasses, protein, salt, sugarcane fiber, and various minerals. To put it nicely, it has a natural sweetness, but to put it negatively, it's a "rustic" sweetness mixed with impurities. When refined, it becomes the refined sugar we commonly eat. First, raw sugar is dissolved in water. Then, the water is evaporated, causing crystallization. This wet sugar is then spun in a centrifuge, removing the molasses, fiber, and other impurities. This repeated process of dissolving, crystallizing, and centrifuging increases the purity of the sucrose, eventually turning it white. You often hear the saying, "White sugar is bleached," but this is incorrect. Pure sucrose is white, so it can only be white. Partial refining, rather than complete refining, removes less impurities, resulting in brown sugar or black sugar. However, the cheap brown sugar/black sugar sold in supermarkets isn't fully refined. It's either white sugar that's already been refined and colored with molasses or caramel, or brown sugar. Brown sugar is processed molasses produced during the refining process. In other words, cheap brown sugar and black sugar only look good, but they offer no health benefits, such as increased minerals, protein, or trace elements. In the past, when refining was a high-tech technique, white sugar was more expensive. It had a clean, sweet taste. However, these days, refining costs are so high that white sugar is the most common. In fact, brown sugar is more expensive now because the traditional boiling method takes longer and is less efficient. So, what can we use this brown sugar for? So, I made it. Brown Sugar Sujeonggwa! Ingredients 50g cinnamon 40g ginger 2-3 cloves 1.5L water 100g Okinawan brown sugar If using refined sugar, reduce the amount. This sujeonggwa is much darker in color than regular sujeonggwa. This is due to molasses, an impurity found in brown sugar. This molasses is very dark, slightly bitter, and sticky. To put it bluntly, it has a somewhat rustic sweetness. However, it has a flavor that refined sugar lacks, making it a great addition when you want a more rustic feel. And another thing! Adding cloves adds a refreshing flavor to sujeonggwa. The cloves counteract the harshness of brown sugar. However, be careful, too much clove can result in a herbal medicine-like taste. You can find brown sugar by searching on Naver or online marketplaces. If you search for "brown sugar" or "Okinawa brown sugar," it comes up. It's a bit pricey, so it's better to use it when you want to make something unique rather than a typical dish. It's also delicious in milk tea.