Nigari
Nigari ( Japanese 苦汁 or にがり ) is a traditionally made from seawater -derived clotting agent , which in Japanese cuisine especially when tofu is needed -Fabrication.
Nowadays, however, the tofu industry mostly uses purified (refined) magnesium chloride (hygroscopic), calcium sulfate (gypsum) or citric acid instead of nigari . The texture of the tofu (soy quark) varies accordingly.
Components
The main ingredient in unrefined nigari is magnesium chloride, but it contains over 100 other mineral salts, such as: B. calcium chloride and potassium chloride . The substance, which contains a lot of magnesium, has recently become very popular as a dietetic agent in Japan because of its alleged fat-binding effect . Nigari tastes bitter, the word "nigari" ( 苦 汁 ) itself is also related to the Japanese word for "bitter", "nigai" ( 苦 い ). In particular, the magnesium sulfate ("Epsom salt") is responsible for the bitter taste. Natural nigari should contain about five times as much magnesium chloride as sodium chloride . However, there are also Nigari products that contain almost three times as much sodium chloride as magnesium chloride. According to a regulation of the EEC No. 2092/91 of June 24, 1991 on organic farming and the corresponding labeling of agricultural products and foodstuffs , Nigari may be used as a processing aid ... in the processing of organically produced ingredients of agricultural origin .
Further use
Recently, Nigari has also been advertised in Japan against hay fever , neurodermatitis (atopic dermatitis) and other diseases. It also works as a laxative due to the magnesium sulfate it contains . Since 1997, when the Japanese government repealed the monopoly laws that had previously protected salt production, Nigari has been considered health-promoting in Japan.
generation
There are basically two types of nigari: one is a powder that consists mainly of magnesium chloride; the other, which has recently become widely available in Japan, is a liquid obtained from the water that remains as a residue from sea salt extraction. There are essentially four different methods for obtaining nigari:
- the evaporation of sea water in shallow basins ( salt pans ) through natural solar radiation (hardly used in Japan) or
- the heating of sea water in boilers (the most common method in Japan),
- the ion exchange dialysis method (which is the only method that also removes PCBs , dioxins , arsenic , mercury , lead and similar harmful substances) and
- the reverse osmosis technique.