Ice drenched with rainbow syrups, shaved ice is refreshingly simple when it comes to frozen pleasures. People eat this famous dish all through the year, but especially in the summer. While syrup-covered ice is a common sight in many cultures (think of Filipino halo-halo, Chinese bao bing, and Korean patbingsu), the origins of shaved ice can be traced back to Hawaii's illustrious plantation history. The idea of kakigori was brought to the islands by Japanese immigrants who arrived in the middle of the 1800s to labour on the sugar and pineapple plantations.
This frozen dessert is now a mainstay in countries all around the world, with many machines made specifically to shave ice in the most ideal way for this dessert. However, you don't need to have the equipment to create a perfect shaved ice treat for you and your family. So, let's get ready and learn how you can make this dessert without the use of a machine.
The "crush it" method is among the simplest and just requires a zip-lock bag, a rolling pin, and a mallet. There is the "grate it" approach, which is the second method. For this one, a box grater—the kind you use to shred cheese or other vegetables—is needed. Finally, the "scrape it" technique only needs a standard kitchen knife, a glove, and a piece of cloth for protection.
After learning the not-so-fancy titles of simple ice-shaving techniques and the supplies needed for each, let's get into the specifics of how to produce shaved ice without a machine.
Method 01:
For the crush-it method, just fill a ziplock bag three-quarters full with water, seal it, place it in the freezer until it solidifies, then take it out and begin pounding with any hard kitchen equipment you have on hand, such as a rolling pin or hammer. The crushed ice is more than enough to make your cool treat, even if this approach may not yield the finest or most uniform ice particles.
Method 02:
For the second method, use the same process that is used to grate a block of cheese. But you might have to hold the grater in place and scrape the ice with it if the ice block is too large for you to hold in your hand.
Method 03:
Scraping is the third method. To begin, freeze water in a rectangular container to form an ice block. Then, let the block thaw somewhat to make it simpler to shred. Now put on your gloves to protect yourself from freezer burns when handling the ice. To prevent it from slipping, place the ice block upright on a clean towel and begin scraping with the sharp knife. As though you were attempting to thinly slice the ice, use a slicing motion.
You don't need a complex machine to make shaved ice using one of these three easy methods, and it will be ready in no time. Put it in a bowl, cover it with your preferred fruit syrup, garnish with some delicious cream or nuts, and eat.