Chicha morada

Chicha morada, with the purple corn and additional pineapple still in the water for flavour purposes.

Chicha morada is a sweet Peruvian beverage made from purple corn, a variant of Zea mays native to the Mesoamerica, and spices. Non-alcoholic, it is a type of chicha usually made by boiling the corn with pineapple, cinnamon, clove, and sugar. Its use and consumption date back to the pre-colonial era of Peru, even prior to the creation of the Inca empire. The traditional preparation of the drink involves boiling the corn in water with pineapple and, after the juices have gotten into the water, letting it cool. Sugar, cinnamon, and clove are often added for extra spice and flavour. It is a very common drink found in many Peruvian restaurants and markets. Traditionally, chicha morada does not contain alcohol. Chicha de jora, on the contrary, made by fermentation of germinating maize, does.

See also

• Peruvian cuisine
• Cuzco corn
• Chicha
• List of maize dishes
• Drink portal

Sources

• Long, Lucy M. Ethnic American Food Today: A Cultural Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 497. ISBN 9781442227316.
• Villacorta, Manuel; Shaw, Jamie. Peruvian Power Foods: 18 Superfoods, 101 Recipes, and Anti-aging Secrets from the Amazon to the Andes. Health Communications, Inc. p. 127. ISBN 9780757317224.