Rennet, Vegetable - How To Make?

[DRBREW]

Does anyone have any information on making vegetable based rennet out of Malva parviflora L. cheeseweed mallow? I have heard it is possible but I just don't know the specifics.
Thanks for any info.

[linuxboy]

Do you have an idea of which enzyme does the coagulation? You need to isolate the enzyme and purify it. Standard way of doing that is soaking, washing, and centrifugation, or puree-ing, washing and centrifugation. Can also try mechanical sieves if the enzyme is a specific size.

[DRBREW]

Sounds like a little more trouble than it's worth, maybe I'll just stick with the commercial stuff................. Thanks!

[MrsKK]

Carla Emory's book has info on making vegetable rennet.  You'll have to copy and paste the entire link to make it work (not sure why).  If you're successful, let us know!

 http://books.google.com/books?id=8vqp_XLfNKYC&pg=PA775&lpg=PA775&dq=carla+emory+encyclopedia+for+country+living+rennet+t%20histle&source=bl&ots=OYb52bQsaJ&sig=bxsIL4WiRhCVeR_Ls5yVqdkFzdY&h l=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result

[goatherdess]

Without giving the exact recipe in Carla's book, basically you dry and powder the plant material, then make a very strong tea in a mortar and pestle and pound the herbs in the water until the tea is very dark. Then you are supposed to use more than the commercial rennet in the cheese recipe. The exact way to do this would be a matter of trial and error and experience. If you do try it, post photos, please!

[DRBREW]

Cool, thanks for the info, I'll give it a try, that sounds easier than isolating enzymes!

[linuxboy]

Yeah, I'm more used to lab processes . Making a tea should work, but it may not be consistent batch to batch. In the lab process:

Soaking is taking the puree of the vegetable matter or letting the plant soak in the water.
Washing is getting rid of the fibrous material, and possibly using a reagent if you know the enzyme class, so concentrate it.
Centrifugation separates the remaining particles into layers so you can selectively harvest the layer that has the enzyme, or just use it as a way to get rid of the heavier fibrous material.

Making a "tea" is similar, but you pound the cell walls until they release the enzyme(s), and keep that in a water solution. Make sure your temps are right because enzymes degrade very quickly with hot temps.