Zutho is a fermented drink, originating from the Indian state of Nagaland, obtained from rice. It is a traditional drink of the Angami and ChakhesangNagas and is commonly consumed by all Nagas in both urban and rural regions of Nagaland.[1]
It contains approximately 5%(v/v) of ethanol, and is known for its fruity odor, which is partly imparted by the acetyl esters in generous amounts. Traditionally zutho is prepared by allowing starch-rich solutions to broken down by enzymes into sugars that are fermented by yeast. Starch in rice has to be made into malt by sprouting, or digested by enzymes that Nagas learned to grow in a separate process on a plant.
Chaya, Neivikhotso. 'My Journey with Rice Beer.' In Dolly Kikon and Joel Rodrigues (Eds.) Food Journeys: Stories from the Heart, pp. 267-276. New Delhi: Zubaan, 2023.
