Rice Beer | Northeast Indian Tribal Brew

Ethnic tribes around the world have a traditional connect to food grain based fermented alcoholic drinks. In the North-east India, traditional rice beer is an indispensable part of tribal life and is attached culturally and even religiously to the community. Almost all the major tribes in Northeast India have a traditional way of preparing the rice beer. Chubitchi is the traditional and most commonly prepared rice based alcoholic drink by the Garos, where the brewing and consumption is backed by the socio-cultural heritage and by folklores and festivals like Wangala. Chubitchi can be prepared using cooked rice with the addition of starter culture which is locally known as Wanti. The locally available glutinous rice is preferred for making the Chubitchi. Sometime the rice is roasted before the preparation to impart to it a smoky aroma. The starter cake know as Wanti, basically is ground and soft kneaded rice dough mixed with wild medicinal herbs and chilies. The dough is further made into small flat cakes and sundried on bamboo baskets. The dried Wanti can be stored for future use. The wanti is commonly prepared using wild medicinal plants - Plumbago zeylanica L, Cherodendrum cordatum and Thelypteris clarkei. The making process is really simple, cooked rice is spread on a bamboo mat or clean banana leaf and allowed to cool down, and then for about 4-5 kg of cooked rice 10 - 20 gms of wanti is crushed, added and mixed well. This mixture is stuffed inside a special earthen pot called Dika, a tubular bamboo sieve which is open at both the ends is placed at the center, where the fermented drink collects and can be easily harvested. The earthen pot is sealed using banana leaves and clean cloth and is left to ferment for couple of weeks before it is actually harvested. Rice beer is full of neutraceutical properties and research have proven that they are loaded with anti-oxidants, but only limited effort have been made for the commercialization of Northeastern beverages unlike Sake of Japan. Presently the traditional fermented rice beverages in Northeastern India are only prepared for local consumption at house-hold level, it definitely needs more highlight. Lets Connect! Facebook:   / eatyourkappa   Instagram:   / eatyourkappa   email: [email protected]   / eat_your_kappa   Music: https://www.bensound.com/