Chang
An authentic beverage recipe from Ladakh, India
Cook Time
2880 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
HardCategory
BeverageIngredients
For 4 servings
500g Barley (whole grain)
10g Phab (Tibetan fermentation starter/yeast)
2000ml Water
100g Wheat grains (optional, for mixed grain chang)
100g Millet (optional, for millet chang)
5 ingredients needed
💡 Pro Tip: Gather all ingredients before you start cooking for a smooth preparation process.
Cooking Instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions to prepare this authentic dish
Wash the barley grains thoroughly under cold running water, rubbing them between your palms to remove any dust or debris. Drain well.
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Soak the barley in 1.5 litres of water for 8 hours or overnight to soften the grains.
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Drain the soaked barley and spread it in a large pot. Add fresh water and bring to a boil. Cook the barley on medium heat for 30–40 minutes until the grains are fully cooked and soft but still intact. Drain and spread on a clean cloth to cool completely.
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Once the cooked barley has cooled to room temperature (this is critical — hot grains will kill the yeast), crumble the phab starter evenly over the grains and mix thoroughly with clean hands to distribute it uniformly.
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Transfer the inoculated barley into a clean, dry clay pot or wooden vessel. Cover tightly with a cloth and then a lid. Wrap the vessel in a thick blanket or place in a warm corner of the kitchen to maintain warmth.
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Allow the barley to ferment for 2–3 days in summer or 3–4 days in winter. The mixture will develop a pleasant sour, yeasty aroma as fermentation progresses.
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After fermentation, transfer the fermented grain mash into a large vessel. Add 500 ml of warm water and stir well. Let it sit for 30 minutes to allow the liquid to extract from the grains.
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Strain the liquid through a fine cloth or strainer, squeezing the grain mash to extract as much liquid as possible. This first extraction is the strongest chang.
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The strained liquid is the ready-to-drink chang. It can be served at room temperature or slightly warmed. The grain mash can be re-steeped with more warm water for a second, milder batch.
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Serve in traditional wooden or clay cups. Chang is best consumed fresh within 1–2 days of straining.
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Chef's Tips
The quality of phab (fermentation starter) determines the flavour of chang — traditional phab passed down through families produces the most authentic taste.
Temperature during fermentation is crucial: too cold and fermentation stalls, too warm and the chang turns overly sour or vinegary.
Chang strength varies with fermentation time — 2 days gives a mildly alcoholic, sweet-sour drink while 4+ days produces a stronger, more sour brew.
In Ladakh, chang is traditionally offered to guests as a gesture of hospitality and is an integral part of festivals like Losar (Tibetan New Year).
About This Dish
Chang is a traditional beverage dish from Ladakh, India. This authentic recipe provides exact measurements for cooking 4 servings.
- The quality of phab (fermentation starter) determines the flavour of chang — traditional phab passed down through families produces the most authentic taste. - Temperature during fermentation is crucial: too cold and fermentation stalls, too warm and the chang turns overly sour or vinegary. - Chang strength varies with fermentation time — 2 days gives a mildly alcoholic, sweet-sour drink while 4+ days produces a stronger, more sour brew. - In Ladakh, chang is traditionally offered to guests as a gesture of hospitality and is an integral part of festivals like Losar (Tibetan New Year).
Category
Beverage
Cook Time
2880 mins
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Hard