Chicha morada is a beverage originated in the Andean regions of
Perú but is currently consumed at a national level.[1]
The base ingredient of the drink is
cornculli or ckolli, which is a Peruvian variety of corn known commonly as
purple corn which is abundantly grown and harvested along the
Andes Mountains.
Its history and consumption was already widespread in
pre-Columbian times, prior to the establishment of the Inca Empire. The current preparation can be traced through different works of the nineteenth century as those of Juan de Arona, and Carlos Prince. The oldest references to its preparation as we know it today come from the writings produced in the mid-1870s by the French Camille Pradier-Fodéré.
Preparation
Nowadays, chicha morada is consumed in three ways: A traditional homemade preparation, a
pre-manufactured product or a
manufactured product.
Traditional preparation consists of boiling the
purple corn in water along with
pineapple peels and pieces of
quince, adding a pinch of
cinnamon and a few
cloves. The boiled mixture is strained and allowed to cool, after which
sugar or
chancaca is added, as well as chopped fruit and lemon if desired.
The pre-manufactured product is sold in two ways:
As packets of dry
powder manufactured with a basis of sugar,
acidifiers and
artificial flavors to which the preparer should only add water. Although consumption is massive because of the advantages of low cost and sweet taste, such products do not achieve the characteristic flavor of a chicha prepared in a
traditional way, nor do they contain the
antioxidants derived from purple corn.
As bags of purple chicha concentrate (
syrup) intended for large-scale distribution. This version contains all the extract of the fruits, retaining flavor and aroma. The preparer should only add
water and lemon juice.
The manufactured product consists of chicha morada produced in a large-scale
industrialized form that is sold in small
cans or
bottles of personal or
family size, in the style of
soft drinks.
A notable
Peruvian delicacy can be derived from chicha morada by adding a binder such as
chuño or corn starch to the traditional preparation. This
porridge-like substance is what Peruvians call "mazamorra morada", to which is added dried or fresh
fruits such as
prunes and
raisins. Its consumption is very widespread in
Peru in
celebrations together with chicha morada, but it increases during October.
Cultural impact
Consumption figures for chicha morada in Peru have even reached that of
Coca-Cola. Its sale is prevalent in
restaurants,
supermarkets and others.
Chicha morada is the representative drink of
Peruvian cuisine, because it is refreshing and versatile for pairing. It combines in any occasion of consumption, either individually or as a group and is consumed by young people and adults. In October, the Peruvian 'purple month' (known as the month in which the procession of the
Lord of Miracles takes place in
Lima and the parishioners wear purple habits), chicha morada combines a lot with the famous
anticuchos,
picarones, turrón de Doña Pepa, mazamorra morada, among other dishes representative of Peruvian cuisine.
^Sergio Zapata Acha (2006). Diccionario de Gastronomía Peruana Tradicional. Universidad de San Martín de Porres, Escuela Profesional de Turismo y Hotelería.
ISBN9972-54-155-X.