Boza

Ingredients

• •1 cup flour
• •6 cups water
• •3/4 cup sugar
• •1/4 tsp yeast
• •1 tsp cinnamon, for serving

Steps

1. 1.Toast the flour in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5-8 minutes until it turns a light golden color and smells nutty - this toasting step is what gives real boza its characteristic malty depth, not just plain flour flavor.
2. 2.Whisk the toasted flour with 2 cups of the water in a saucepan until completely smooth with no lumps, then whisk in the remaining water.
3. 3.Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and cook for 5 minutes until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved.
4. 4.Let the mixture cool to lukewarm (about 100°F), then whisk in the yeast.
5. 5.Pour into a clean glass jar, cover loosely with a cloth (not an airtight lid, so gas can escape), and let ferment at room temperature for 24-48 hours, stirring once or twice a day - this fermentation, not any added flavoring, is what gives boza its mild sourness and thick, aerated body; the longer it sits, the more sour it becomes.
6. 6.Once it has developed a pleasant tang, transfer to the refrigerator to slow the fermentation. Serve cold, dusted with a little cinnamon, traditionally alongside banitsa.