The Peruvian health drink.

I absolutely love Chicha Morada. Supposedly it has great health benefits too, as studies have shown that purple corn helps regulate blood pressure and prevent colon cancer, probably because Purple corn contains one of the most active antioxidant substances in the vegetable world! Before moving to Peru I was addicted to diet coke, now I am here I probably drink 2 litres of this every day. Much healthier…

Fairly simple to make its a delicious drink and I am amazed that I had never heard of it in England before. In the unlikely event I move back to the UK I may well try and introduce it. Alternatively where are you Innocent Drinks, England needs Chicha!

To make it:

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 Kg (0.83 lb) of purple maize
  • 1 big pineapple
  • 4 limes
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 4 cloves
  • 3/4 Kg (0.83 lb) of apples
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 4 1/2 liters of water

1. Wash the corn and place it in a pot with the water, the clove, the cinnamon, the chopped quince, the pineapple shell and the chopped apples.
2. Let the mixture boil until the grain of the corn bursts open, then remove it from the heat and strain it.
3. Let it cool to room temperature and sweeten it with the sugar. Then add the lemon juice.
4. Serve it thoroughly chilled, with finely-chopped fruit.

Serve with crushed ice for the perfect summers day drink.