Umqombothi

Umqombothi is worth trying. It’s a traditional beer, that is popular in the Xhosa culture.

Conversions

intermediate

SERVES 10

PREP TIME 4days

COOK TIME 1hr

Ingredients

  • 2kg Maize Meal
  • 3kg Sorghum
  • 11L Water
  • 1 ½ Cups Huletts SunSweet Brown Sugar

Method

  1. In a large container or bucket, combine maize meal, 2kg sorghum and 6 litres of boiling water.
  2. Stir to make a paste.
  3. Seal the container or bucket and place it in a warm dark place to ferment for two to three days.
  4. Scoop out two cups of the fermented mixture and set it aside.
  5. Mix the remaining paste with two more litres of hot water in a pot and place it on the stove. Allow simmering, stirring occasionally, for about an hour. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  6. Add the two cups of fermented paste to the pot, and add the 1kg of sorghum and the sugar. Stir through thoroughly and set aside.
  7. The next day if the mixture is bubbling, the beer is ready. Strain it through a sieve, chill and enjoy.

Reviews

Delicious with Huletts sugar

Rated 5 out of 5
24 Apr 2024

Easy and delicious. I’m making one for Easter weekend and adding Huletts sugar to sweetened it

Veronica Thandiwe Mqwathi

No Title

Rated 5 out of 5
24 Apr 2024

Exactly how my mom, used to make it.

Bongeka Gumede

Mnqombothi the easy way

Rated 5 out of 5
6 Mar 2024

Very easy method I didn’t know you can add sugar..

Dudu

REMAINING PASTE

Rated 2 out of 5
27 Sep 2023

The recipe is not clear to me. In par. 5 you mentioned the “remaining paste”. Where does that come from.

Lukas Sinden

Response from Huletts Sugar

You need to scoop out two cups of the mixture after it has fermented. With what is left in your container you need to follow step 5. Once step 5 is completed, you add in the two cups that you removed earlier. We hope that helps.

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Conversion Table

Cups Tablespoons Grams
Butter 1/4 cup 4 Tbsp 57g
1/3 cup 5 Tbsp + 1 tsp 76g
1 cup 16 Tbsp 227g
Flour/Sifted 1/4 cup 4 Tbsp 30g/27g
1/3 cup 5 Tbsp + 1 tsp 40g/35g
1/2 cup 8 Tbsp 60g/55g
1 cup 16 Tbsp 120g/110g
Granulated Sugar 1/4 cup 4 Tbsp 50g
1/3 cup 5 Tbsp + 1 tsp 65g
1/2 cup 8 Tbsp 100g
1 cup 16 Tbsp 200g
Brown Sugar/ Firmly Packed 1/4 cup 4 Tbsp 45g
1/3 cup 5 Tbsp + 1 tsp 60g
1/2 cup 8 Tbsp 90g
1 cup 16 Tbsp 180g
Water 1/4 cup 4 Tbsp 57g
1/3 cup 5 Tbsp + 1 tsp 76g
1/2 cup 8 Tbsp 114g
1 cup 16 Tbsp 227g