Chicha morada

Peruvian purple corn drink: the ancient, deeply flavoured ceremonial beverage of the Andes, simmered with fruit and spices into a drink of extraordinary colour and cultural weight

Origin: Andes, Peru

From the journey of Corn.

Chicha, fermented corn beer, was the sacred ceremonial drink of the Inca Empire. Made by chewing corn, spitting the masticated mass into ceramic vessels, and allowing the saliva's amylase enzymes to convert starch to sugar for fermentation, it was produced exclusively by the acllacuna, chosen women of the empire, in the Inca's palaces and temple kitchens. It was offered to Inti (the sun god), drunk at festivals, distributed to workers on imperial projects, and used to seal political alliances. The chicha morada prepared here is the non-alcoholic version: Peruvian purple corn (maíz morado), an ancient Andean variety with deep anthocyanin pigments, is simmered with pineapple, quince, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar into a drink of extraordinary depth and colour. Purple-black, tangy, warming, and unlike anything in European food culture, it has been drunk in the Andes for thousands of years and remains Peru's most beloved cold drink, served with ceviche, lomo saltado, and at every family table.

Ingredients

500 g maíz morado (dried purple corn cobs or kernels, from Latin grocery)
2 litres water
1 medium pineapple, skin and core only (reserve flesh for another use)
1 medium quince or green apple, roughly chopped
2 sticks cinnamon
8 whole cloves
150 g caster sugar, plus more to taste
3 tbsp fresh lime juice, to finish

Method

Combine the purple corn, pineapple skin and core, quince or apple, cinnamon, and cloves in a large pot. Add the water and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a medium simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes until the liquid is a deep, dark purple-red and has reduced slightly. The house will smell extraordinary.
Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the solids firmly to extract all liquid. Discard the solids.
Stir in the sugar while the liquid is still hot. Taste and adjust; it should be sweet but with a present tartness. Add lime juice to finish.
Cool completely, then refrigerate. Serve very cold over ice. Chicha morada is always served cold.

Notes

Maíz morado (purple corn) is essential; it cannot be substituted with regular corn, which lacks the deep anthocyanin pigments that give chicha morada its colour and flavour. Find it at Latin American grocery stores or online. The fermented version; chicha de jora; uses germinated corn and fermentation over several days; it is the ancient version, still made in highland communities and drunk from large ceramic cups (qero) at festivals. Chicha morada is also used as the liquid base for mazamorra morada, a thick Peruvian purple corn pudding thickened with sweet potato starch.

The Gastrographer

Name: Chicha morada
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Peru
Ingredients: 500 g maíz morado (dried purple corn cobs or kernels, from Latin grocery); 2 litres water; 1 medium pineapple, skin and core only (reserve flesh for another use); 1 medium quince or green apple, roughly chopped; 2 sticks cinnamon; 8 whole cloves; 150 g caster sugar, plus more to taste; 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, to finish

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control