Arunachali champa shake

I recently took a trip to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, where this shake was on the breakfast table. On the first sip, I wanted the recipe. The manager at Timilo Resort was generous enough to arrange a cooking lesson for the group.

Millets are an important part of tribal cuisine in Arunachal. They are one of the original crops and are now grown side-by-side with rice. They favour barnyard millet, but other millets are also prevalent.

This is a simple shake, millets, buckwheat, as a local crop, and wild harvested honey. The extended blend time is to get the shake to be creamy. I have never been able to understand or get an answer to the addition of ice cubes instead of water, but most folks use it, so I am sticking with adding it to the recipe. I can theorize that it may have to do with the extended blend time again and not having the shake warm-up.

This is a heavy shake. The millet and buckwheat are earthy and balanced by the light sweetness of the honey; please don't make it syrupy. This was a constant for every breakfast, and I usually greedily had two glasses, knowing I would miss it when I was back home.

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Ingredients:

5 tablespoons roasted barnyard millet-buckwheat flour

2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons honey, or to taste

4-5 ice cubes

1 banana (optional)

1/2 cup berries of choice (optional)

2 tablespoons granola to garnish (optional)

Add the flour, milk, honey, and ice cubes to a blender. Blend on high speed for 3-4 minutes in 1 minute intervals so you do not burn out your machine. The extended blend time is to get a thick, cream shake and to ensure the flour is emulsified and the gluten is extracted.

If using bananas or berries, add to the shake and blend briefly.

Serve cold, garnished with granola if desired.

Note: the shake tends to separate with time. Have it quickly.