Bushera (Ugandan Fermented Millet Porridge Drink)
Local name: Obushera
In short: Millet and sorghum porridge fermented for a day or two into a lightly sour, slightly sweet drink. A traditional Ugandan refreshment served cool. It takes about 40 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Resting
- 36 h
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 130 kcal
Bushera is a fermented millet drink, especially popular in western Uganda and drunk across the country at home, at celebrations and as a morning meal. A thin porridge of millet and sorghum flours is left to ferment for a day or two until it turns pleasantly sour, then strained, thinned and sweetened to taste. It is thick enough to fill you up and refreshing enough to drink cold, and children and adults alike enjoy it.
Instructions
- Whisk the millet flour with the cold water until smooth. Bring the 750 ml (3 cups) of water to a boil in a heavy pot.
- Pour in the millet mixture in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until it is a smooth, thin porridge that coats the spoon.
- Take the pot off the heat and cool the porridge until just lukewarm, about 35°C (95°F).
- Whisk in the sorghum flour, plus the starter if using. Pour into a very clean large jar or bowl, filling it no more than three-quarters, and cover loosely with a clean cloth.
- Leave at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, stirring twice a day with a clean spoon, until the porridge smells pleasantly sour and has small bubbles on the surface.
- Stir in the boiled and cooled water, then pour through a fine sieve, pressing out the liquid. Discard the coarse solids.
- Sweeten each glass to taste and serve cool. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered jar for up to 3 days.
Tips
- Keep everything very clean: boil the porridge first, use sanitized jars and spoons and ferment it covered. Discard the batch if you see mold, pink or orange streaks, or smell anything other than clean sourness.
- Fermentation is quicker in a warm kitchen, around 28°C (82°F), and slower in a cool one. Taste it each day and refrigerate it as soon as it is as sour as you like.
Questions and answers
What does bushera taste like?
Lightly sour and slightly sweet, with a nutty, earthy grain flavor and a thin, porridge-like body. A little sugar balances the sourness.
Is bushera alcoholic?
It is drunk as a non-alcoholic beverage, but any fermented food can contain traces of alcohol. A short fermentation of about 24 hours keeps it very mild.
Can I make bushera with only millet?
Yes. Sorghum flour adds depth and gives the fermentation a boost, but a plain millet porridge ferments and tastes good too, just a little less rounded.
How long does it take to make Bushera (Ugandan Fermented Millet Porridge Drink)?
About 40 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bushera (Ugandan Fermented Millet Porridge Drink)?
About 130 kcal per serving, with 3 g of protein, 28 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 130 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Fat | 1 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 5 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
