Boza: How and What Is Boza Made Of, How Is It Drinking?

by Abbas Jahangir · August 17, 2021

While sitting in our warm house on cold winter nights, the sounds of the boza echoing from outside take us all to the past. Have you ever thought about why boza is sold at night, why is n’t salep sold, why isn’t tea sold? In the past, boza was prepared in the evening and sold by street vendors, especially during the winter months of Ramadan. Boza, which is an indispensable part of sahur with its hot and filling feature, started to be sold not only in Ramadan but also every night.

What does boza, which was seen in Eastern Anatolia and Mesopotamia in 8000 BC, mean?

Boza comes from the Persian word ‘buze’ meaning millet . Turks met boza in the 9th century thanks to the Central Asian Turks. Boza is a high-calorie beverage that gives warmth to the body. Boza, which keeps you full due to its high calories, is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. It has high nutritional value due to its high protein, fat and carbohydrate content. Boza, which is widely consumed all over the world, dominates a wide geography through merchant ships.

What is Boza? What is it made of?

The raw material of boza dating back to the Ottoman period:

Oat
Rice
Millet
Barley
It is a historical beverage that is wheat or corn.

It is very healthy with its E, B1, B2, A vitamins and mineral content such as phosphorus and iron, as well as its taste.

With the help of Mediterranean ship traders from the Egyptian and North African coasts, boza, which first spread to the west, to Asian countries and China, and then to Iran and Afghanistan, became a commercial beverage with the development of the packaging industry. Boza, which was the harbinger of the month of Ramadan in Turkey in the past, has become a brand and is consumed fondly as a special beverage.

Is boza halal or why is boza haram? Two types of boza were made in the 16th century by the Ottomans:

The first is Mırmırık, made by the Armenians, which contains alcohol because it is fermented too much and intoxicates the drinker.
The other is Albanian Boza, which is called sweet boza and is not fermented much. Due to the intoxicating property of sourdough, the sheikh al-Islam who was on duty at that time banned Armenian boza. From that day to this day, it has been asked whether it is haram or halal.

How is Boza Made? Contents List

Why is it being made? For Boza ingredients, coarse bulgur or millet, water, rice, fresh yeast, granulated sugar, warm milk, chickpeas and cinnamon are sufficient.

The content of boza, which is a drink of all seasons, is as follows:

Bulgur wheat
Sugar
Vanilla
powder yeast
This

Boza is also suitable in terms of price, since these materials are easy to find and cheap. The price of 1 liter of boza, which is sold in bottles in the markets, varies between 12 and 15 liras on average. Being dark and cool in the fermentation environment of the boza affects the taste of the boza.

Let’s come to the making of the boza:

First of all, bulgur and rice are boiled until they become soft.
It is mashed and passed through a fine-meshed strainer.
The filtered part is completely cooled.
Meanwhile, mix warm milk, granulated sugar and yeast in a bowl.
Yeast is added to the bulgur porridge we have prepared and taken to a cool and dark environment to be kept for 24 hours.
From time to time, the lid of the waiting boza is opened and ventilated.
After 24 hours, granulated sugar and water are added little by little to the boza mixture and brought to the desired consistency.
Then it is put in the refrigerator to increase its consistency a little more.
The indispensable part of boza, which is served hot or cold, is powdered cinnamon sprinkled on top and roasted chickpeas placed as a whole.

How to Drink Boza?

Boza, which has an intense and sharp aroma, is not liked by some. When you taste boza for the first time, you either love it or not at all.
Boza, which is basically made using water, millet semolina and sugar, is mostly consumed in May and September .
Boza, which was the drink of cold winter nights in ancient times, is still sold in some regions.
Well, is boza to be drunk hot?
Although perceived as a hot beverage, boza is actually drunk cold.
Cinnamon powder is added to boza consumed with cinnamon and yellow chickpeas , and yellow chickpeas are thrown as a whole.
Since it has a thick consistency, you can also consume boza as a soup with a spoon.
If you have bought a ready-made boza from the market; You can heat some at home and consume it.
You can use a medium sized coffee pot while heating.
You can enjoy it more comfortably in a large and wide glass.
Also, do not forget to add cinnamon, which is one of the flavor details of boza. Cinnamon is one of the indispensable ingredients of a boza by many.

What are the Benefits of Boza?

The vitamins in it help the boza to protect the body against colds. It is especially useful in cutting cough as it provides expectoration.
Studies showing that it is good for allergic bronchitis and asthma prove that drinking boza for 2-3 days relieves the lungs.
In addition to high protein, carbohydrate and fat, vitamin and mineral content increases the nutritional value of boza and increases breast milk.
The lactic acid contained in it improves the digestion and digestibility of the stomach and cleans the intestines.
Boza, which is rich in antioxidants, strengthens the body’s immune system and protects cells against the risk of cancer. It also reduces the side effects of chemotherapy during chemotherapy for cancer treatment.
Its high vitamin content strengthens the bone structures of children in development and strengthens the joints against bone diseases that may occur in old age.
Its high vitamin B content helps the body cope with chronic fatigue, and its high caloric value is energizing. Boza is especially important in the nutrition programs of athletes, pregnant and lactating women.
Again, the B vitamins in its content have a positive effect on the nervous system and give the power to fight stress.
B12, phosphorus and iron content are beneficial for skin and hair health. It prevents hair loss, moisturizes the skin and makes the skin healthy. If you regularly consume boza, your skin can be brighter and your hair fuller than before.

What is good to consume boza?

It protects the health of mother and baby during pregnancy.
It controls kidney functions.
It strengthens the immune system.
It helps you feel happier.
Protects skin health and renews cells.
It is good for respiratory diseases.

What is Boza Calorie and Nutritional Value?

Due to its high carbohydrate content, boza can also be called liquid bread. 1 cup, or approximately 150 milliliters of boza, contains 240 calories.
1 cup of boza 57 grams of carbohydrates, 0.5 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of protein, 29 milligrams of calcium, 1.3 milligrams of iron, 97 milligrams of phosphorus, 1 mg of sodium, 1 mg of zinc and vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin includes.
Boza, which collects the body’s essential vitamins and minerals in 1 glass, is one of the most popular Turkish beverages with its sour taste in the mouth.
If you want to consume the brown bear during the diet period; You can be a little careful. Because it is a high-calorie beverage. If you want to consume chickpeas according to your taste while drinking this delicious beverage; Your calorie intake will increase slightly. For this reason, you can try not to consume different foods in the meals where you include boza.
If you drink boza often and stay very still; Boza can cause the numbers on the scale to increase. Boza is beneficial for health, but it becomes beneficial when you are in moderation. When you exceed the dose, it can cause weight gain in your body.

Boza Harms and Side Effects

Boza, which is a high-calorie beverage, should be avoided or consumed in a controlled manner by those who do not want to gain weight.
Boza, a beverage made using yeast, can cause stomach problems in some people.
Bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea can be observed in boza drinkers.
The sugar used in its content raises the blood sugar of diabetic patients. It is recommended that diabetic patients do not consume boza without consulting a doctor or dietitian.
High carbohydrate content can also have an effect on blood pressure patients. Excessive consumption of boza can increase blood pressure.
Although boza has many beneficial effects with its content, it is a beverage with a different aroma that should be consumed carefully.