Marua

Clean the finger millet grains thoroughly, removing any debris or husks. Rinse under cold water 2–3 times until the water runs clear.

Soak the cleaned millet in water for 8 hours or overnight to soften the grains.

Drain the soaked millet and spread it on a clean cloth. Allow it to partially dry for 1–2 hours.

Cook the millet by steaming or boiling until the grains are fully cooked but not mushy. Spread the cooked millet on a flat surface to cool completely to room temperature.

Crumble the traditional marua starter culture (a dried yeast cake made from local herbs and wild yeast) into a fine powder.

Once the cooked millet has cooled, mix in the powdered starter culture evenly, ensuring every grain is coated.

Transfer the mixture into a clean bamboo vessel or earthen pot. Cover tightly with banana leaves and secure with a cloth or lid.

Place the vessel in a warm spot (around 25–30°C) and allow fermentation to proceed for 24–48 hours. The mixture will develop a pleasant sour, slightly alcoholic aroma.

After fermentation, add 1–1.5 litres of water to the fermented millet and stir gently. Allow to steep for 2–4 hours.

Strain the liquid through a fine cloth or bamboo strainer into a serving vessel. The strained liquid is Marua — a mildly alcoholic, tangy millet beer.

Serve at room temperature in traditional bamboo cups. The remaining grain can be re-steeped with more water for a second, lighter batch.