Obvara raku recipe NOT FOOD!

If you want to make an obvara mixture for raku ceramics purposes you can adjust the amounts to your needs with this easy recipe. Again, this is NOT a food recipe. Though theoretically you can cook this sludge the purpose is to be a mixture to dip ceramics in at 850 to 900 C (1650 F) to create an interesting texture and color on the ceramics. It is an old eastern European technique. You need to dip fast and cool in water right after so it doesn't burn.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Mix all the ingredients together. It's easiest if you combine the dry ingredients and then make a well in the middle. Add a bit of water at the time, you can go faster as it becomes more liquid.

Step 2

Leave this mixture in a warm place and stir it twice every day.

Step 3

Wait for a few days until it's bubbling and fermenting. You can keep using it for up to two weeks. Fresh mix (same day to ~2 days): best performance. You’ll get the most active, bubbly reaction and nice, consistent patterns. 3 to 7 days: still usable if kept cool (fridge). Activity drops a bit, but many people actually like the slightly more developed, tangier effect. 1 to 2 weeks: usable, but unpredictable. It can separate, smell quite sour, and the reaction on hot pots becomes weaker or patchy. Beyond 2 weeks: not really worth it. It tends to break down too much and can give dull or inconsistent results. A few practical tips: Keep it in the fridge when not using it. Stir well before each use. It separates. If it smells pleasantly sour/yeasty, it’s fine. If it smells rotten or moldy, toss it. You can “refresh” it a bit by adding a small amount of flour and sugar and letting it sit at room temp for a few hours.