Sugarcane Juice

Ganzhe Zhi (甘蔗汁)

Sweet and delicious, sugarcane juice is the perfect summertime refreshment that can quench one’s thirst on even the hottest of days.

Sugarcane Juice is found everywhere in southern Asia and is not exclusive to China. However, it is a staple of summers in Sichuan. I cannot venture around the ancient Lizhuang District of Yibin City without purchasing at least one cup of this golden draught. In fact, this was one of the first truly unique drinks I tried in China on my first visit to Lizhuang. As my wife gave me a tour of her hometown, we came across an old schoolmate working as a Sugarcane Juice Vendor. She gladly offered me a free cup of the juice and from that moment, I was hooked.

Traditionally, Sugarcane Juice made using a special machine – originally, they were hand-cranked, but now most are automated. A stalk of fresh Sugarcane is inserted into the back/ top of the machine. The machine smashes and squeezes the juice from the stalk as it’s fed through the machine. All of the juice pours directly into a cup set underneath, and the crushed stalk of Sugarcane is discarded. The juice is usually served at normal temperature, but in the hot Sichuan summer, it’s still refreshing and cooling. Obviously, when making this at home, I recommend chilling the Juice in the fridge before serving.

Since it is unlikely most people have a Sugarcane press at home, I’ve created an alternative to obtaining that pure sweet Juice. The Sugarcane can be peeled, cubed, and blended into a pulp from which the Juice can be extracted. This process is, of course, more intensive and time consuming than simply using a press. However, the results are more than worth the effort. Blending the Sugarcane will require adding some water to the blender or food processor, which can weaken the flavor. So, to compensate, I recommend adding a small amount of Sugar to bring back some of the sweetness. Once an ample amount of juice has been extracted from the pulp, you can start blending the Sugarcane cubes with some of this juice instead of water. This will give the Sugarcane Juice a more concentrated, purer flavor equal to that of pressed Sugarcane Juice.

Prep Time: 25 min

Cook Time: 0 min

Total Time: 25 min

Serving: 2 people

Ingredients

1 stalk of Sugarcane

1 cup of Water per 1 cup of Sugarcane Cubes

1 Tbsp. of Sugar (Optional)

Directions

1.) Cut the Sugarcane into 8-inch-long manageable pieces and use a good-quality vegetable peeler to remove the hard outer hull of each piece and leave behind the soft, spongy core.

2.) Cut the core of each piece in half lengthwise and then quarter the pieces into long, thin strips. Cut across the strips to create 1-inch cubes.

3.) Place 1 cup of the cubes into a blender and add 1 cup of Water. Blend on low until the Sugarcane becomes a rather smooth pulp.

4.) Pour the mixture into a wire strainer set over a bowl. Spread the pulp evenly across the surface of the strainer and then press hard, squeezing as much liquid out of the Sugarcane. Continue to press and squeeze out the liquid until the pulp feels dry and sawdust-like.

5.) Repeat the blending and straining process with the remaining Sugarcane cubes. After adding about 4 cups of Water have been adding, you can optionally begin using the Juice to blend with the cubes, which will concentrate the flavor even more.

6.) Pour the Juice through a fine mesh muslin or cheese cloth to remove any remaining pulp.

7.) Stir in the Sugar until it dissolves. Then, pour the delicious Sugarcane Juice into a pitcher. The Sugarcane juice can be served immediately or chilled in the fridge before serving.

 

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