Sunday, June 26, 2011

using soapnuts

soapnuts - soapberries by melmok
photo by melmok
I was at Tropicana Mall recently and stumble upon to another alternative for natural detergent.
I can use it while waiting for my fruit enzyme to ferment.
It's soapnut / soapberries!!
These little things are from berries grown in india and nepal. (i could have walked pass these little things without realizing it in india.. argh..)

I was told that it has been used for centuries ago. the soapiness or the saponin is from the shell of the berries.
So far i've been using it for my laundry and as hand wash liquid as well.
I just put 6-8 berries in a muslin bag. (my 500pc of muslin bags have a purpose now....) i do 2 rounds of laundry with it. After that i soak them to use as hand wash.
Once the soapberries turn into pale colour i just put it in the garden for it to compose.
Easy Peasy...

i was told by the lady who sold this berries that if you have sensitive skin, doing laundry with these berries can help as these soapnuts have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbia properties.
Basically what the fruit enzyme cleaner can do, these little soapnuts can do as well.

The difference is just the $$$...
Fruit enzyme cleaner = FREE = 3 months to ferment
Soapnuts / soapberries = 200gm/RM12 = on the spot

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Sunday, June 5, 2011

all natural eco fruit enzyme

My second batch of fruit eco enzyme cleaner is not turning too good..
But my 3th, 4th & 5th batch is fermenting well thou. :D


I was too eager to start my second batch and I think i did not add enough of fruit peel
cos i was just estimating on the quantity of the fruit peel.
kekekeke.....


Gave my mom the recipe for her to try. she loved it and she's making her 4th batch now. 
My dad even tried using it to clean his belt and it turn out squeaky clean.

You can use the enzyme cleaner to mop the floor, wash the dishes, car, clean your vegetables & fruits,
wash your cloths with it and it's a natural insect repellent.

You just have to dilute it to ratio of 
• 1 part enzyme to 10 parts of water to mop the floor or to wash your car.
• 1 table spoon of enzyme with vegetables and fruits
• add 1 table spoon of enzyme with your normal laundry
• 1 part enzyme to 5 parts of water to use to spray as insect repellent. i do it for the irritating ants in my toilet wall. 

If you feel uncomfortable by just using the enzyme to wash the dishes, you can also add a bit of your normal detergent. But make sure you dilute your enzyme

Hey, you're saving the earth, it's chemical free and you're recycling your waste(fruit waste).

Here's what you need :
3 liter of water
300gm brown sugar
900gm fruit peel
big plastic bottle


What i do is i save up all my fruit peel and store in the freezer.
You can use orange, apple, kiwi, lemon, mango or banana. But i wouldn't advice you to use banana cos my mom's first batch was with a mixture of different fruit peels but mostly from banana skin. it turn out milky dark and the smell was a bit of a turn off. But it still works! it's just not as nice smelling like mine thou(citrus smell). ;)

Anyway, save up your fruit peels. Make sure you clean it first. 
Pour in the sugar and water, mix it well.
Then add in the fruit peel and shake it really well.


fermentation process by melmok
fermentation process, a photo by melmok on Flickr.

All you need to do is release the cap bottle everyday for the 1st month. If you don't, the bottle would explode. 
There was on time when i skipped a day and when i release the cap the next day, the cap pop up in the air and i could see the gas coming out from the bottle...
So make sure when you loosen the cap to release the gas, do it slowly. 
After that just shake the whole mixture and release the gas again. 

For the 2nd and 3rd month, you just need to shake and release the gas every fortnight.
You can then start using your enzyme cleaner on the 4th month.
You just need to strain the liquid out and transfer it to a smaller bottle.
You can also use the remaining of the fruit peel as fertilizer for your plants.



enzyme cleaner by melmok
enzyme cleaner, a photo by melmok on Flickr.


The longer you keep your enzyme cleaner, the stronger the enzyme gets. 
The gas still builds up in my smaller bottles.

Now and then, i'll release the gas from my ready made enzyme cleaner.


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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

food post that is a quarter way

Recently, my dad celebrated his 60th birthday at Hakka Restaurant at Jalan Raja Chulan.
To be honest, this is my first time trying out Hakka food.
I was suppose to take a pic of each and every dish.... but then i got side track with the food...

There was 12 dishes, 15 pax and the bill came out to RM587.
We had 4 pork dishes ( 2 of the same kind as everyone love the "pancake pork with salted fish"), 3 veggie dishes, 2 fish dishes,  2 chicken dishes, 1 dessert.

The food was good... It was something different.


IMG_0372 by melmok
by melmok on Flickr.

IMG_0376 by melmok
by melmok on Flickr.

IMG_0374 by melmok
by melmok on Flickr.

IMG_0377 by melmok
by melmok on Flickr.

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