Grapes – 5kg (Washed and stalks removed. I used the seeded variety of grapes)
Sugar – 4kg
Boiled and cooled down water – 2litre
Long wheat / Sooji gothambu – 2 handfuls (Loosely wrap it in a cloth and make a kizhi)
Wine koottu* (If it is not available, use 5 big pieces of cinnamon and 10 cardamom)
Steps:
Wash and pat dry the grapes. Make sure that the grapes are dry.
Use bharani or glass containers with wide mouth to ferment wine. Do not use plastic bottles.
Add a layer of grapes to the clean and dry bharani. (Some people crush the grapes before preparing wine. But I do not do that)
Add a layer of sugar, followed by a layer of wine koottu.
Repeat for the rest of the grapes, sugar and wine koottu.
Add 2 litres of boiled and cooled down water and wheat kizhi.
Push the kizhi to the bottom with a clean and dry spoon.
Cover the bharani with a clean cotton cloth and yarn for 15 days for fermentation. Do not make it airtight by covering the container tightly with lids.
Store in a dark place.
Mix this thoroughly with a clean and dry spoon everyday for all the 15 days.
After 15 days, discard the kizhi. Strain the mixture and separate the solids. (You can add 1 litre boiled and cooled down water and leave it covered for fermentation for 15 days. Repeat the process. But it won’t be as tasty as the wine extracted before.)
Let it rest for a month in a bharani. Do not mix during this time.
Cover it with an airtight lid. (I am using the lid along with a cotton cloth folded into four)
Store it in a dark place.
Enjoy the wine.
Notes:
*Wine koottu can be purchased from any Ayurveda medical store in Kerala.
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