🇷🇼 Rwandan Cuisine

Ikivuguto

Fermented Milk

Prep Time 2 days

Servings 4

Difficulty Easy

Calories 152 kcal

Traditionally fermented raw milk cultured in a calabash gourd, yielding a tangy, thick yogurt-like drink that is a Rwandan dietary staple.

Ingredients

1 liter fresh whole milk
2 tbsp previously fermented ikivuguto or plain yogurt as starter

Instructions

1 Pour fresh whole milk into a clean calabash gourd or glass jar.
2 Add a small amount of previously fermented ikivuguto as a starter culture, stir gently.
3 Cover with a cloth and leave at room temperature for twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
4 The milk thickens and develops a pleasant sour tang when ready. Shake or stir before serving chilled or at room temperature.

Did You Know?

The calabash gourd used for fermenting ikivuguto is never washed with soap — it is rinsed with smoke from specific woods that contribute to the flavor culture.