Lye Water

[sensei]

One of the recipes that I want to try out requires the use of lye water.

I don't know where I could buy some.

Do you have any information about lye water?

What is it called in Thai?

Where can I buy it?

[BambinA]

Lye water in TH we call it as น้ำด่าง (naam daang) or น้ำขี้เถ้า (naam khee thao)

You can do it by mixing wood ash(you may wrap the ash with a cheesecloth) and water for a night and then use the solution above the sediment.

You may buy it from chinese market and it's called ก๋านโสย (gaan soiy)

[sensei]

Thanks!

[suegha]

As ever, Bambi delivers the goods! How are you Bambi? Don't see you on-line too much these days. Busy?

[Flutterby]

Technically, and despite the labels on the bottles, neither of these is a Lye solution. Neither is what you get with wood ashes. Lye is the common name (at least in the U.S.) for sodium hydroxide. Potassium Carbonate has the common name of Potash. Caustic Potash refers to potassium hydroxide. What you get from wood ashes is a mixture of potassium and sodium hydroxides and carbonates and lots of other junk

All that said, the recipe probably refers to the bottled liquid pictured, i.e. potassium carbonate solution. If you truly want Lye, it can be purchased in solid form, usually granules, as a treatment for clogged drains. Get the kind that doesn't foam because that usually has aluminum pieces in it that react with the sodium hydroxide when it is placed in water. Lye hazardous to handle so wear gloves and eye protection if you use it. Actually, even the potassium carbonate solutions are somewhat hazardous so at least be careful of your eyes if you use it.

Edited March 4, 2008 by Flutterby