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Oshikundu or Ontaku is a traditional Namibian drink made from fermented millet (mahangu) flour, brans and malted sorghum flour mixed with lukewarm water. [1] It is made from cereal. Ontaku has short life span and it has to be consumed within the same day, preferably within 6 hours once its ready. [1] Ontaku is more common among Aawambo people and in some part of Kavango Region . [1] The knowledge of creating Ontaku has been passed orally from one generation to the other orally, hence existing through generations of Aawambo. [1] It is widely sold in open markets and mostly associated with rural areas and northern Namibia. Oshikundu can be served with porridge to bolster its flavor and nutritional content in the absence of heartier foods.
The combination is left to ferment for several hours at room temperature. Once Oshikundu is ready to drink it becomes brown with a thick texture. It is nutritious but has a short shelf life, usually being a home-brewed drink enjoyed daily. [2]
A study carried out in 2001 by the Department of Food Science at the University of Namibia revealed that it was possible to produce a dry mix containing malted pearl millet and sorghum, that would be nutritionally enhanced with bambara nut. This mix could then be sold for making oshikundu. [3]
Kvass is a fermented, cereal-based, low-alcoholic beverage of cloudy appearance and sweet-sour taste.
Millets are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae.
Finger millet is an annual herbaceous plant widely grown as a cereal crop in the arid and semiarid areas in Africa and Asia. It is a tetraploid and self-pollinating species probably evolved from its wild relative Eleusine africana.
Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, fruit, or syrup to make a sweet cereal, or it can be mixed with spices, meat, or vegetables to make a savoury dish. It is usually served hot in a bowl, depending on its consistency. Oat porridge, or oatmeal, is one of the most common types of porridge. Gruel is a thinner version of porridge and congee is a savoury variation of porridge of Asian origin.
Boza, also bosa, is a fermented beverage originating from Central Asia and made in parts of the Balkans, Turkey, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and North Africa. It is a malt drink made by fermenting various grains: maize (corn) and wheat in Turkey. It's one of the oldest Turkic beverages. It has a thick consistency, a low alcohol content, and a slightly acidic sweet flavor.
The Limbu are a Sino-Tibetan ethnolinguistic group indigenous to the Himalayan region of eastern Nepal, Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland, northern West Bengal, and western Bhutan.
Pearl millet is the most widely grown type of millet. It has been grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times. The center of diversity, and suggested area of domestication, for the crop is in the Sahel zone of West Africa. Recent archaeobotanical research has confirmed the presence of domesticated pearl millet on the Sahel zone of northern Mali between 2500 and 2000 BC. 2023 was the International Year of Millets, declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2021.
Chhaang or chhyang is a Nepalese and Tibetan alcoholic beverage popular in parts of the eastern Himalayas among the Yakkha, Limbu, Dura, Newar, Sunuwar, Rai, Bhutia, Gurung, Magar, Sherpa, Tamang, Tharus and Lepcha communities. Among the Lepcha, it is called Chi. It is also known as jaarh in Nepal.
Beer in South Africa has a long history, with a corporate history dating back to the early 20th century.
Beer in Africa, especially lager, is produced commercially in most African countries, and indigenous people also make varieties of beer. Beer is served in various locales, from neighbourhood shebeens to upscale bars. Many countries have standardized beer bottle sizes, which are cleaned and re-used, so when buying beer at a store, people often must pay a deposit on the bottle and the price of the beer. An alternative to glass-bottle beers is local beer sold in tetra-pak style paper cartons.
The cuisine of Botswana is unique but shares some characteristics with other cuisines of Southern Africa. Examples of Setswana food include pap, samp, magwinya, bogobe and mophane worms. A food unique to Botswana is seswaa, salted mashed-up meat.
Ghanaian cuisine refers to the meals of the Ghanaian people. The main dishes of Ghana are centered around starchy staple foods, accompanied by either a sauce or soup as well as a source of protein. The primary ingredients for the vast majority of soups and stews are tomatoes, hot peppers, and onions. As a result of these main ingredients, most Ghanaian jollof rice, soups, and stews appear red or orange.
Pito is a type of beer made from fermented millet or sorghum in northern Ghana, parts of Nigeria, and other parts of West Africa. It is made by small (household-level) producers, and is typically served in a calabash outside the producer's home where benches are sometimes provided.
Millet beer, also known as Bantu beer, malwa, pombe "Tchouk" or opaque beer, is an alcoholic beverage made from malted millet that is common throughout Africa. Its production process varies across regions and in the southern parts of Africa is more commonly known as umqombothi. Millet beer varies in taste and alcoholic content between ethnic groups. It is served in calabash gourds.
Burkinabe cuisine, the cuisine of Burkina Faso, is similar to the cuisines in many parts of West Africa, and is based on staple foods of sorghum, millet, rice, fonio, maize, peanuts, potatoes, beans, yams and okra. Rice, maize and millet are the most commonly eaten grains. Grilled meat is common, particularly mutton, goat, beef and fish.
Chadian cuisine is the cooking traditions, practices, foods and dishes associated with the Republic of Chad. Chadians use a medium variety of grains, vegetables, fruits and meats. Commonly consumed grains include millet, sorghum, and rice as staple foods. Commonly eaten vegetables include okra and cassava. A variety of fruits are also eaten. Meats include mutton, chicken, pork, goat, fish, lamb and beef. The day's main meal is typically consumed in the evening on a large communal plate, with men and women usually eating in separate areas. This meal is typically served on the ground upon a mat, with people sitting and eating around it.
Also known as Kpete, Kwete is the alcoholic beverage brewed particularly by the Lugbara people of Uganda, Abanyala ba Kakamega in Kenya and DR Congo. The production process involves mixing fermented sorghum, millet or maize, malt, boiled water and yeast which is locally called Aku fi.
Mangisi is a traditional sweet-sour beverage made through the natural fermentation of millet mash and is native to Zimbabwe. The preparation of mangisi varies across different regions of Zimbabwe. In one common method, finger millet is malted and then milled into flour, which is mixed with water. This mixture is gradually heated for about 80 minutes, almost reaching boiling point. The product, known as masvusvu (mash), is then cooled, diluted, and strained. It is left to stand for several hours, allowing spontaneous fermentation to occur, resulting in the final beverage, mangisi. The microorganisms responsible for fermentation are believed to originate from the utensils and the fermentation vessel, as well as from the malt flour that withstands the cooking process.