🇰🇬 Kyrgyz Cuisine

Maksym

Fermented Grain Beverage

Prep Time 30 min

Servings 6

Difficulty Easy

Calories 101 kcal

A thick, mildly fermented drink made from ground corn, wheat, and millet. A popular refreshing summer beverage sold widely in Kyrgyz bazaars.

Ingredients

100g cornmeal
50g wheat flour
50g millet flour
2 liters water
1 tablespoon salt
50g talkan (roasted barley flour, optional)

Instructions

1 Mix all flours together.
2 Gradually whisk into boiling water to prevent lumps.
3 Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring constantly.
4 Cool to room temperature.
5 Add salt and mix well.
6 Let ferment at room temperature for 12-24 hours.
7 Stir, strain if desired, and serve cold.

Did You Know?

Maksym is Kyrgyzstan's most popular commercial fermented beverage, sold in distinctive plastic bottles at every bazaar and roadside stand during summer, sometimes alongside kymyz.