Fermented Oat Kissel (Lithuanian Christmas Eve Drink Recipe)
Ever tried a fermented oat drink that’s been around for centuries? Oat Kissel is a cozy, old-school Lithuanian classic—somewhere between a thick oat milk and a tangy custard—that’s fermented for a couple of days to get just the right flavor. It’s a retro gem, perfect for anyone ready to sip (or spoon!) their way into an authentic Lithuanian Christmas Eve.
Equipment
- Fine Sieve
Ingredients
- 250 g (1¾ cups) rolled oats
- ½ slice rye bread ideally, homemade rye sourdough
- 1.5 l (6⅓ cups) water
- pinch of salt
- 4 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Place rolled oats and a torn-up piece of rye bread in a large bowl.
- Pour 750ml (3⅛) of warm water over the dry ingredients, cover and leave in a warm spot to ferment for 24-48 hours.
- Your mixture should have formed some liquid on top, foamed or formed bubbles on top (or all three). Spoon the mixture into a large sieve placed over a pot to collect any fermented liquid. Press the oats and rye bread down with the back of the spoon to squeeze them out.
- Scoop the squeezed-out mixture back into the bowl, pour another 750ml of fresh water over the mixture, mix well, and then drain the liquid again into the pot (the same one you drained the fermented liquid into). Discard the oat fibers.
- Add a pinch of salt and place the pot on low-medium heat. Simmer until thickened to the desired consistency.
- Sweeten the oat kissel with honey to your taste preference. You may stir in some fruit or berry puree. Serve warm or at room temperature.