Alcohol Substitutions in Halal Cooking

As Muslim, cooking with alcohol is not an option, haram.... Jadi masakan dan makanan yang kita makan kena pastikan ianya adalah halal. Firman Allah yang bermaksud: "Hai orang-orang yang beriman, makanlah di antara rezeki yang baik-baik yang Kami berikan kepadamu dan bersyukurlah
kepada Allah, jika benar-benar hanya kepada-Nya kamu beriman." (al-Baqarah: 172)



 Tapi sesetengah recipe mengandungi alcohol. Agak memeningkan bila nak masak kan... Nak ganti dengan apa ye? Seperti biasa saya membuat rujukan di internet, bukan setakat bahan rujukan untuk kerja2 di office, bahan masakan dan macam2 lagi saya cari di internet. Susah kalau tak ada internet ni....

Saya terjumpa beberapa websites yang promote masakan secara halal dan bahan2 halal yang boleh digunakan sebagai bahan ganti untuk alcohol. Untuk western food, alcohol ini deperlukan untuk menyedapkan rasa masakan. Bagi penggemar masakan ini, tentulah agak susah untuk menikmati makanan ini sebab ia mengandungi bahan2 yang tidak halal.

Websites yang telah saya baca adalah:
1. Chef Yusuf website. Di sini Chef Yusuf berkongsi info dalam pentingnya memasak dan myediakan makanan dalam Islam. I found this website is very, very informative.

2. My Halal Kitchen. Di sini pemilik blog ini menulis dan berkongsi pendapat tentang masakan, makanan dan dapur yang halal.  

Di sini saya "copy and paste"  dari About.com Home Cooking. jadual mengenai bahan2 ganti untuk bahan alcohol. Malangnya buat masa ini saya tidak dapat mengalih bahasa ke Bahasa Melayu. Insyaallah, kalau ada masa, saya akan alihbahasa ke Bahasa Melayu.   

Alcoholic Ingredient	Description	Substitution
Amaretto	Italian almond-flavored liqueur	Almond extract.
Beer or ale	Various types.	For light beers, substitute chicken broth, ginger ale or white grape juice. For heavier beers, use a stronger beef, chicken or mushroom broth or stock. Non-alcoholic beers may also be substituted.
Brandy	Liquor made of distilled wine or fruit juice.	Scotch or bourbon. If a particular flavor is specified, use the corresponding fruit juice, such as apple, apricot, cherry, peach, raspberry etc. or grape juice. Corresponding flavored extracts can be used for small amounts.
Calvados	Apple brandy	Apple juice concentrate or juice.
Chambord	Black raspberry liqueur	Raspberry juice, syrup or extract.
Champagne	Sparkling white wine.	Sparkling white grape juice, ginger ale, white wine.
Claret	Light red wine or Bordeaux.	Non-alcoholic wine, diluted currant or grape juice, cherry cider syrup.
Cognac	Aged, double-distilled wine or fermented fruit juice. Cognac is considered the finest brandy.	Other less expensive brandies may be substituted, as well as Scotch or whiskey, or use peach, apricot or pear juice.
Cointreau	French, orange-flavored liqueur.	Orange juice concentrate or regular orange juice that has been reduced to a thicker consistency.
Curacao	Liqueur made from bitter Seville oranges.	Orange juice frozen concentrate or reduced fresh orange juice.
Creme de menthe	Thick and syrupy, sweetened mint liqueur. Comes both clear and green.	Mix spearmint extract or oil with a little water or grapefruit juice. Use a drop of food coloring if you need the green color.
Framboise	French raspberry liqueur.	Raspberry juice or syrup.
Frangelico	Italian hazelnut liqueur.	Hazelnut or almond extract.
Galliano	Golden Italian anise liqueur.	Licorice extract.
Grand Marnier	French liqueur, orange-flavored.	Orange juice frozen concentrate or reduced fresh orange juice.
Grappa	Italian grape brandy.	Grape juice or reduced red wine.
Grenadine	Pomegranate syrup, sometimes alcoholic.	Pomegranate syrup or juice.
Hard Cider	Fermented, alcoholic cider.	Apple cider or juice.
Kahlua	Syrupy Mexican liqueur made with coffee and cocoa beans.	Strong coffee or espresso with a touch of cocoa powder.
Kirsch (Kirchwasser)	Colorless liqueur made of cherries.	Black cherry, raspberry, boysenberry, currant, or grape juice or syrup, or cherry cider.
Red Burgundy	Dry French wine.	Non-alcoholic wine, red wine vinegar, grape juice.
Red wine	Sweet or dry wine.	Non-alcoholic wine, beef or chicken broth or stock, diluted red wine vinegar, red grape juice diluted with red wine vinegar or rice vinegar, tomato juice, liquid from canned mushrooms, plain water.
Rum	Liquor distilled from molasses or sugar syrup.	For light rum, use pineapple juice flavored with almond extract. For dark rum, use molasses thinned with pineapple juice and flavored with almond extract. Or use rum extract flavoring.
Sake	Fermented rice drink.	Rice vinegar.
Schnapps	Flavored, colorless liquor.	Use corresponding flavored extract such as peppermint, peach, etc.
Sherry	Fortified dessert wine, sweet or dry, some with a slightly nutty flavor.	Orange or pineapple juice.
Southern Comfort	Bourbon mixed with peach liqueur.	Peach nectar mixed with a little cider vinegar.
Tequila	Liquor made of the agave plant.	Cactus nectar or juice.
Triple Sec	Orang-flavored liqueur.	Orange juice frozen concentrate or reduced fresh orange juice.
Vermouth	Wine-based drink infused with herbs, sweet or dry.	For sweet, use non-alcoholic sweet wine, apple or grape juice or balsamic vinegar. For dry, use non-alcoholic white wine, white grape juice or white wine vinegar.
Whiskey (whisky)	Distilled liquor.	Bourbon, Scotch and whiskey may be used interchangably. Small amounts may be eliminated. Large amounts cannot be effectively substituted.
White Burgundy	Dry French wine.	Non-alcoholic wine, white grape juice diluted with white wine vinegar.
White wine	Sweet or dry wine.	Non-alcoholic wine, chicken broth or stock, diluted white wine vinegar or cider vinegar, white grape juice diluted with white wine vinegar, ginger ale, canned mushroom liquid, water. For marinades, substitute 1/4 cup vinegar plus 1 Tbsp sugar plus 1/4 cup water.