Galo Marua Apong

Name: Galo Marua Apong
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Galo
Ingredients: 1 kg finger millet; 2 litres Water; 50 g local fermentation starter (opop/emao); 4 pieces Banana leaves; 1 tsp Ginger; 2 pieces banana leaf; 2 tbsp Jaggery; 1 litre drinking water

A traditionally fermented millet beverage of the Galo community, prepared for festivals and guest hospitality across the culture-rich process of natural fermentation.

🇮🇳India· Arunachal Pradesh

Prep: 60 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 80 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Hard
Calories: 140 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

1 kg finger millet — washed
2 litres Water — for steaming and diluting
50 g local fermentation starter (opop/emao) — crushed
4 pieces Banana leaves — for lining
1 tsp Ginger — grated
2 pieces banana leaf — for lining
2 tbsp Jaggery — optional sweetening
1 litre drinking water — filtered

Equipment

•Large steaming pot
•Earthen fermenting jar
•Bamboo strainer

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 140 kcal
fat: 1 g
carbs: 28 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 3 g
calories: 140 kcal

Instructions

1
Wash the finger millet thoroughly. Soak it for 2 hours.
2
Steam the soaked millet in a large pot until it is fully cooked and soft.
3
Spread the cooked millet on a clean banana leaf or mat. Let it cool completely.
4
Sprinkle the crushed local fermentation starter evenly over the cooled millet.
5
Mix gently with clean hands until the starter is well spread throughout.
6
Transfer the mixture into an earthen jar. Cover loosely to let air flow.
7
Leave it to ferment in a warm corner for 2 to 3 days until it smells sweet.
8
Add water to the fermented mixture. Let it steep for 1 more day.
9
Pour the liquid through a bamboo strainer into a serving pot.
10
Serve the strained apong (traditional millet brew) in bamboo mugs at room temperature.

Chef's tips

Keep all utensils and your hands very clean, as stray germs can spoil the brew. Fermentation time changes with the room temperature, so taste it occasionally for your preferred tang.