Cherry Rice Wine

Why people make this wine

Gout is something Nourilo has seen trouble many middle-aged and older friends over the years. The root issue is uric acid — a natural by-product of digesting high-purine foods such as organ meats, shellfish, mushrooms, beans, and fermented foods — accumulating in the joints and causing sudden, burning pain, often striking the big toe at night. Cherries, known in Cantonese as che li zi, are a fruit that traditional food therapy considers helpful for the liver and kidneys, high in iron, and associated with supporting normal uric acid metabolism. Steeping them in rice wine is thought to help the active compounds travel more effectively through the channels of the body, making this a popular home remedy for joint discomfort linked to elevated uric acid.

Method

1. Remove the stalks from the cherries. Soak the cherries in lightly salted water for 5 minutes to remove surface bacteria and any insects; rinse well and drain completely.
2. Place the drained cherries in a clean, dry glass jar.
3. Pour the rice wine over the cherries; seal the jar and store in a cool, dark place.
4. Turn the jar gently once a day for the first week to help everything settle.
5. After 10 days, the wine is ready to drink. Take a small half-cup portion at a time, ideally between meals.

Nourilo’s Tips

• Cherry wine nourishes the blood and is a lovely tonic for gout sufferers and women with anaemia — but because cherries are warming, do not overdo it.
• Adding water to dilute the wine is perfectly fine if you find it too strong.
• Fruit wines keep well as long as no mould develops and the aroma remains clean and pleasant; a year-old bottle is generally still good.
• If you use apple cider vinegar instead of rice wine, the flavour will be sharper but the effect is considered equally good — some people even prefer it.