Slaked lime, food-grade — used in trace amounts to set jellies and to alkalize traditional Chinese desserts.
Where it comes from
Industrial chemical, food-grade; long used in traditional Chinese cooking for ice-jelly, hominy-style nixtamal, and zongzi.
In the kitchen
Provides calcium ions that crosslink pectin, setting bingfen jelly; also for alkalizing zongzi rice.
Across cuisines
Calcium hydroxide, or slaked lime, is a food-grade mineral used in trace amounts to set jellies and to alkalize traditional Chinese desserts. It is an industrial chemical that has long been used in traditional Chinese cooking, especially for making ice-jelly and other gelatinous desserts.
