Darwin would have tried it. They say that, on his journey aboard the Beagle, Charles Darwin threw every exotic animal he found into the pot. Óscar López-Fonseca invites us to explore the kitchens of the world with culinary experiences that, surely, the father of the theory of evolution would have ventured to try on that trip.
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The dictionary of the Royal Academy of Language defines beer as the “alcoholic beverage made with sprouted grains of barley or other cereals fermented in water, and flavored with hops, boxwood, cassia, etc.” If you ask a Spanish consumer, they will say that this masterful aseptic formula results in a translucent drink that, depending on the type, can range from the straw yellow of wheat to the almost opaque black of a stout, and it is preferable to be topped with a layer of foam, in addition to being served cold in most cases. However, if you ask a Nepalese and, specifically, those who live in the eastern part of the country, they will describe it in a very different way: they will not mention barley, wheat or hops as ingredients, but millet. ; It will refer to an alcoholic drink, yes, but hot; and, of course, he will not refer to the foam, but will describe it as a milky-looking liquid that is also drunk with a peculiar straw. And that's how it is tongbathe name given to the traditional beer that, in addition to the country of Mount Everest – it is the traditional drink of the Limbu ethnic group – is also found in other areas of the Himalayan mountain range such as Bhutan, Tibet or the bordering Indian region of Sikkim.
It is true that in Nepal you can consume local, industrially manufactured Western-style beers, with names as suggestive as Gorkha, Everest either Nepal Icebut the tongba It has nothing to do with them. To begin with, the container in which it is consumed is not a glass or glass cup or a ceramic jug, but a cylindrical wooden tube with polished brass bands that is called, precisely, tongba and from which this peculiar beer takes its name. It's not the only thing that differentiates it from our beers. The production process and, above all, the tasting process are also different. In this case, the drink is obtained after cooking millet of the kodo variety (Paspalum scrobiculatumcultivated in Asia and West Africa) to which, once cooled, is added khesung, a mixture of yeasts. That porridge is placed in a bamboo basket that is covered with cloth and placed in a warm place for a couple of days to ferment. At the end of this process, it is transferred to a vessel that is sealed and in which it will remain for one or two more weeks. The result is finally taken to a pot where it will rest for several more months.
Once this whole process is finished, the fermented millet grains are introduced into the tongba, and this is filled with very hot water. After waiting 10 minutes, the Nepalese insert a straw into the container with its lower end closed, but with side openings that function as a filter and through which they inhale the warm milky liquid obtained. Orthodoxy dictates that you start by sipping the part closest to the edge of the tongba and then go down until it is exhausted. That moment, however, does not mean the end of the drink. Hot water is added again—in places where the drink is served. tongba, this is always accompanied with a thermos full of water for this purpose—and, after letting it rest for a few minutes, start enjoying the Nepalese beer again. This process is repeated four or five times until the millet grains stop adding flavor, color and alcohol to the water.
He tongba It has a soft and slightly sweet flavor with acidic touches, although its artisanal origin means that each preparation has its own nuances. Some define its flavor as that of bread, but in liquid format. Others find similarities with Japanese sake. With a low alcohol content, which fluctuates depending on the fermentation time, the temperature at which it is consumed means that Nepalese consider it more of a comforting drink for the cold winter months than a summer drink, although it is also consumed in the season. warm. However, its enjoyment goes beyond leisure and enters the cultural territory until it occupies a relevant place in celebrations and parties. Offering him to a stranger is already a sign of respect towards him. It is even attributed health benefits such as helping to combat the symptoms of a cold, reducing fever, serving as an anti-inflammatory, being an effective gastroprotector and mitigating the effects of altitude for those not accustomed to it. Furthermore, they claim that, in case of excessive intake, it does not cause a hangover. Of course, it also has side effects: it produces gases. In that, it is not much different from our fresh foamy beers.
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