~210 cal · 11g protein · 18g carbs · 10g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Bowl of tangy fermented mare milk
🇰🇿 Almaty
Kumis is the legendary fermented mare's milk of the Central Asian steppe, prized by Kazakhs for centuries as both refreshment and medicine. Churned and cultured until tangy, lightly effervescent, and faintly alcoholic, it is a springtime delicacy tied to the foaling season and the nomadic heritage of the plains.
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🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 6 —
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8 cups mare's milk (or cow's milk as a substitute)
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1/2 cup kumis starter (or live kefir)
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1 clean churn or jar
Instructions
1
Warm the milk to lukewarm and stir in the kumis starter (or live kefir) culture.
2
Pour into a clean churn or jar and cover loosely.
3
Ferment at room temperature 1–2 days, stirring or churning often to aerate, until tangy and lightly fizzy.
4
Chill and serve cold in bowls, stirring before pouring.
Kazakh steppe tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
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Almaty. Where beshbarmak means "five fingers" — the proper cutlery.
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Kazakhstan. Nomad hospitality measured in heaped platters.
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Asia. From street-cart woks to slow monastery kitchens.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
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Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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