Drink and Dine in Ancient Style with Peruvian Purple Corn

A staple during the time of the Inca empire, this vibrant purple vegetable is the base for Peru's iconic chicha morada beverage as well as the traditional dessert known as mazamorra morada. Learn all about them here!

What was once known as Kculli is one of the most ancient forms of corn. A staple during the time of the Inca empire, it’s a crop that was lost in many areas but continues to be grown in parts of Peru where is native. The vibrant color isn’t only aesthetically pleasing- it’s also a sign that the corn boasts a high amount of anthocyanins (phytochemicals being studied for its ability to improve cardiovascular health and collagen regeneration), antioxidants, and phenolics.

Maíz morado (purple corn) is sold dried in the markets and is mainly used for a non-alcoholic beverage called chicha morada and for a very traditional pudding-like dessert known as mazamorra morada.

To make chicha morada, you boil the cobs and kernels alike, along with mixed fruits of your choice and cinnamon, cloves and allspice. It takes about an hour before the water turns brilliant purple. The most commonly used fruits are diced apple, leftover pineapple rind, and quince, with some lime juice added at the end of the cooking time in order to perk up the flavors. This refreshment is strained and then drunk once it freshly cooled; it isn’t fermented to create a semi-alcoholic beverage as other chichas are.

You can use this same refreshment to make the aforementioned dessert as well, by simply adding dried fruit (such as raisins, apricots, prunes, or cherries) and more sugar, and then thickening the drink into a pudding by adding sweet potato starch or potato starch. It’s generally served alongside rice pudding and topped with some cinnamon, in a dish sometimes called sol y sombra (sun and shade).

Alongside the ubiquitous pisco sours, chichi morada is one of the iconic drinks of Peru, making use of an agricultural product that has been grown in the area since ancient times. Hopefully, you’ll sample some of the colorful cuisine of Peru, including the varied dishes and drinks based on Peruvian purple corn, during your travels or your own kitchen experiments!

Fecha de Publicación: 02/08/2014