A Circassian drink: a lightly fermented, low-alcohol grain drink like boza, sweetened with roasted sugar.
Makhsyma (Fermented Millet Drink)
Ingredients
Method
- Toast half the flour in a dry pan until fragrant to deepen the colour and flavour.
- Whisk all the flour into the water and simmer gently, stirring, until it thickens into a thin porridge; cool to lukewarm.
- Melt the sugar in a dry pan to a light caramel and stir it in with the honey.
- Mix in the leaven, cover with a cloth, and leave in a warm place 2–3 days to ferment, stirring once a day.
- When it tastes tangy and lightly fizzy, strain out the solids.
- Chill and serve in bowls or cups: the flavour deepens over a few more days.
This is the recipe from the Recipes section of the Circassian app, where you can also scale it and save it to your favourites.
Kitchen words in Circassian
The words for what is in this dish, in Kabardian (East Circassian) and Adyghe (West Circassian), with audio from the Circassian app’s lessons and audio course.
| English | Kabardian | Adyghe |
|---|---|---|
| honey | фоfo | шъоуshow |
| bread | щIакхъуэshch'akkhwe | хьалыгъуhaləghu |
| water | псыpsy | псыpsə |
| food | шхынshkhyn | шхыныshkhənə |
| delicious | IэфI'ef' | IэшIу'eshIu |
| This is delicious! | Мыр IэфIщ!Myr 'ef'shch! | Мыр IэшIу!Myr 'esh'u! |
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Makhsyma: questions
How long does it take to make Makhsyma?
About 30 minutes, according to the recipe in the Circassian app.
How many people does this Makhsyma recipe serve?
It serves 10. The servings control above the ingredients recalculates every quantity for 1 to 40 people.
What is Makhsyma made of?
The ingredients are: 2 cups millet flour (or half millet, half maize flour); 8 cups water; 3 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp active leaven or bread starter (or 1/4 tsp yeast).
Is Makhsyma an everyday or a festive dish?
The Circassian app files it as a ceremonial dish (Sweets & Drinks).
Where does this Makhsyma recipe come from?
From the Recipes section of the Circassian app. The app’s recipes draw on Amjad Jaimoukha’s book Circassian Cuisine and were cross-checked against Russian and Adyghe food sources.
Sources
- Circassian app, Recipes section, recipe “Makhsyma (Fermented Millet Drink)” (recipe data last changed July 2026). The app’s recipes draw on Amjad Jaimoukha’s book Circassian Cuisine and were cross-checked against Russian and Adyghe food sources.
- Circassian app: audio course, Kabardian and Adyghe (the kitchen words: cheese, meat, milk, bread, tea, water, food, delicious), and the lessons’ vocabulary (chicken, salt, butter, honey).
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