Oshikundu (Namibian Fermented Millet Drink)
In short: A slightly sweet, tangy Namibian drink made by fermenting a thin millet porridge with sprouted sorghum, served cold in tall glasses. It takes about 40 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Resting
- 16 h
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 145 kcal
Oshikundu is the everyday drink of northern Namibia, sold in bottles at markets and poured at home for guests and workers in the field. A thin millet porridge is cooled, mixed with sprouted sorghum flour and left to ferment for a day. The result is cloudy, lightly sweet and tangy, and it is as filling as it is refreshing. Serve it very cold, and stir it before pouring.
Instructions
- Whisk the millet flour and maize meal with 250 ml of the water until smooth. Bring the remaining 750 ml water to a boil and stir in the paste.
- Simmer for 15 minutes over low heat, stirring often, until you have a thin porridge. Remove from the heat and let cool to lukewarm, about 40°C (105°F).
- Stir in the sprouted sorghum flour until it dissolves. Pour into a very clean glass or plastic container, cover loosely with a cloth and keep somewhere warm.
- Leave for 12 to 18 hours, stirring once or twice, until it smells pleasantly sour and tastes slightly sweet.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing out the liquid. Stir in 500 ml cold water and the sugar.
- Chill for at least 2 hours. Stir well and serve cold.
Tips
- Traditionally oshikundu is made from pearl millet alone. A little maize meal makes it smoother and stretches the millet.
- Sprouted sorghum flour is sold at African and health food shops. If you cannot find it, sprouted millet flour works the same way.
Questions and answers
Is oshikundu alcoholic?
Fresh oshikundu is not meaningfully alcoholic. If left for several days at room temperature it will keep fermenting and become sour and slightly alcoholic.
How long does oshikundu keep?
Refrigerate in a closed bottle for up to 3 days. Throw it out if it smells rotten or looks moldy.
Is oshikundu the same as thobwa?
They are similar in method, both fermented cereal drinks made with a sprouted grain. Oshikundu is thinner and made from millet, while Malawian thobwa is thicker and made with maize.
How long does it take to make Oshikundu (Namibian Fermented Millet Drink)?
About 40 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Oshikundu (Namibian Fermented Millet Drink)?
About 145 kcal per serving, with 4 g of protein, 30 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 145 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 30 g |
| Fat | 1 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 5 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
