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Food Coloring from Cabbage
This homemade food coloring is prepared from red cabbage. Because red cabbage pigment is pH-sensitive, it starts out purple but turns pink when combined with acid and blue when combined with alkaline substances.
Ingredients
- red cabbage, Small; chopped1
- water1 cup
- white granulated sugar, 150 g3/4 cup
- lemon juice, Plus extra for pink color1/2 tsp
- vanilla extract1/4 tsp
- baking soda, For blue color1 tsp
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 9 steps
Blend cabbage and water in a food processor.
Using a cheesecloth, strain the puree into a bowl to extract the juice.
Pour the juice into a pan and add sugar.
Turn the heat to medium-high, and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Skim off and discard any foam that collects at the surface of the liquid.
Turn the heat to high and boil until the liquid reduces to a single-thread consistency.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.
If you want to color the mixture pink, stir in additional lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. If you want to color it blue, stir in the baking soda.
Cool slightly, then pour into an airtight jar.
Region evidence: no stated origin (basic dish)
