Turkish Boza Drink

5 from 2 votes

Boza is a thick, sweet and tangy Turkish winter drink made by fermenting bulgur and rice. Most of the work is waiting, and one batch makes eight glasses.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Fermentation time1

Total Time1 45

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: ,

Servings: people

Calories: 283kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

2 cups bulgur wheat
½ cup rice
8 cups water
½ teaspoon fast action dried yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar (for flavoring)
1 cup water (for consistency)
cinnamon and roasted chickpeas (leblebi) (for garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook and Strain the Base

Rinse the bulgur and rice with cold water, then add them to a pot along with 8 cups of water.
Cook the mixture on medium-low heat until mushy.
When cooked, pass it through a sieve using a back of a wooden spoon. Discard the solids.
Let the sieved bulgur mixture cool completely at room temperature.

Ferment and Serve

To make the yeast mixture that will ferment the boza, mix warm milk, fresh yeast, and sugar in a separate bowl.
Transfer the cooled bulgur mixture to a large pot. Mix with the yeast mixture and cover the pot. Let it sit in a dark place for 24 hours.
Occasionally open the lid of the boza mixture to allow air to circulate and help it ferment.
When the boza is fermented, adjust the consistency by adding sugar and water gradually.
Serve the boza chilled with roasted chickpeas and cinnamon.

Notes

Let the strained base cool completely before adding the starter. Heat kills the yeast.
Use fresh yeast that is not expired, and warm milk, never hot.
Ferment in a cool, dark place, in a glass or plastic container with a wooden spoon. Metal is said to interfere with fermentation.
Stir the mixture now and then during fermentation, or it can turn bitter.
It is ready when the surface looks foamy and it smells pleasantly sour.
Too sour? It fermented too long or too warm. Move it to the fridge sooner and add a little extra sugar.
For a vegan boza, use water or plant milk in the starter.
Keeps in the fridge for up to a week, best within the first few days. It thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a splash of cold water.
Serve chilled with cinnamon and roasted chickpeas (leblebi).

Nutrition