Note: The Ooho is made using sodium alginate and calcium chloride using a formula developed by the designers. Our recipe is an approximation that replaces calcium chloride with calcium lactate, resulting in a membrane that is less tough.
YOU WILL NEED:
– 1 g of sodium alginate (a natural substance derived from brown seaweed)
– 5 g of food-grade calcium lactate (a type of salt that can be found commonly in cheese and gum)
– A bowl filled with 1 cup of drinking water
– Another bowl filled with 4 cups of water
– Another bowl filled with water for rinsing off the “bottles”
– An immersion blender (you could also use a regular blender)
– A deep spoon like a measuring spoon
STEP 1:
Add 1 g of sodium alginate to 1 cup of water. Then use an immersion blender to dissolve the sodium alginate. Once you’re confident that it’s dissolved, set the mixture aside to get rid of any air bubbles that may have formed during blending.
STEP 2:
Add 5 g of calcium lactate to 4 cups of water and mix well using a spoon.
STEP 3:
Scoop up some of your sodium alginate solution using a deep spoon. Very carefully plop the sodium alginate into the calcium lactate bath. Repeat with the remaining sodium alginate but do not crowd the bath.
STEP 4:
Stir the sodium alginate bubbles very gently for 3 minutes.
STEP 5:
After 3 minutes, remove the “bottles” from the calcium lactate bath using a slotted spoon and transfer them to a water bath to stop the reaction.
And there you have it! Your edible water “bottles” are ready for drinking, er, eating, or whatever you want to call it.
Did you try this DIY at home? How did your water blobs turn out? Or do you have a better spherification recipe of your own? Let us know in the comments below.
+ Watch the DIY video on YouTube
