Hilumur — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A refreshing, spiced cold drink made from fermented millet flour flavored with ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. This traditional Sudanese beverage is the perfect thirst quencher in hot weather.

Ingredients

300g millet flour
2 liters water
100g sugar
2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tbsp lemon juice
Ice for serving

Instructions

1 Mix millet flour with one liter of water until smooth. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight to lightly ferment.
2 Strain the fermented mixture through a fine strainer into a large pitcher, pressing to extract all the liquid.
3 Add remaining water, sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir vigorously until sugar is fully dissolved.
4 Add lemon juice and taste, adjusting sweetness and spice levels to your preference.
5 Refrigerate for at least two hours until thoroughly chilled. The drink improves as the flavors meld.
6 Serve ice-cold in glasses with plenty of ice. Stir before pouring as the millet sediment will settle.

Did You Know?

During Ramadan, hilumur is one of the most popular drinks to break the fast, with vendors selling it from large clay pots to keep it cool.