Kumis

Kumis

　　Kumis is a favorite drink among the Kazakh people. During the peak of summer, in the grasslands of Xinjiang’s pastoral regions, households that raise horses can all make kumis themselves, using it for daily consumption and to entertain guests. Kumis has a slightly salty and sour taste with a mild hint of alcohol. It is refreshingly cool and delicious, aids digestion, strengthens the stomach, and benefits overall health. Drinking more of it can induce sleep, lulling one into a pleasant slumber. The herders' method of brewing kumis is simple: freshly milked horse milk is poured into a leather bucket sewn from cowhide, then fermented with old kumis starter for a few days before it’s ready to drink. If you visit Xinjiang’s pastoral areas during summer or autumn, you can try the taste of kumis. (Lhasa)