πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡² Zambian Cuisine

Chibwantu

Fermented Millet Drink

Prep Time 2 days
Servings 8
Difficulty Medium
Calories 149 kcal

A thick, tangy fermented drink made from millet, maize, and sugar, served cold as a refreshing and nourishing traditional Zambian beverage.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup millet flour
  • 1 cup maize meal
  • 8 cups water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp dried yeast or previous batch starter

Instructions

  1. 1 Mix millet flour and maize meal with four cups of water to form a smooth slurry.
  2. 2 Cook the slurry over medium heat, stirring constantly for ten minutes until thickened into a porridge.
  3. 3 Remove from heat, add remaining water, and stir until well combined. Let cool to lukewarm.
  4. 4 Add sugar and yeast or starter from a previous batch, stirring well.
  5. 5 Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm spot to ferment for twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
  6. 6 When pleasantly sour and slightly bubbly, strain if desired and serve chilled.

Did You Know?

Chibwantu is sometimes called the Zambian smoothie and is considered a complete meal in liquid form by many rural communities.

From The Culinary Codex — http://theculinarycodex.com/dish/zambian/chibwantu/