Chicha de arroz con piña

Ingredients

Rice

• 250 glong grain rice
• water, for soaking

Pineapple

• 1whole ripe pineapple
• including the well washed skin
• 1.5 litreswater

To flavour

• 3cinnamon sticks
• 4whole cloves
• 200 gsugar, or to taste
• a pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoonvanilla

To serve

• plenty of ice
• ground cinnamon
• tall glasses

Directions

1. Use a stiff brush on the whole surface. Rinse it well afterwards in water. The skin turns from green to golden. Rinse the rice in plenty of cold water. Cover it with water and leave it to soak. Give it at least four full hours.
2. Cut the top and base off the washed pineapple. Cut the skin away in thick strips. Keep every single strip of skin. Cut the flesh into rough chunks. Cut out the hard core and keep that too. Set some flesh aside for blending later.
3. Put the skin and core in a large pot. Add the measured water to them. Add the cinnamon sticks and the cloves. Bring it to a boil and lower the heat. Let it simmer for about twenty-five minutes. The water turns golden and fragrant. Pour it all through a fine sieve. Press the skin against the mesh. Discard the skin and the whole spices.
4. Let the liquid cool completely. Hot liquid in a blender is dangerous. Drain the soaked rice thoroughly. Put it in a blender with some of the liquid. Blend it until completely smooth. Give it a good three full minutes. Add the reserved pineapple flesh. Blend it all together thoroughly.
5. Pour the blended mixture through a fine sieve. Press it through with a spoon. Line the sieve with muslin for a smoother drink. Strain it twice if you need to. Mix the strained rice blend with the pineapple liquid.
6. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Add the vanilla and the pinch of salt. Taste it and adjust the sugar. It should be sweet and clearly of pineapple. Cover it and refrigerate it for at least three hours. It must be genuinely cold when served. Add water if it becomes too thick to drink. Serving it is done very cold over ice.
7. Stir it well before pouring, since it settles. Fill tall glasses right up with ice. Pour the chicha over all the ice. Dust ground cinnamon over the top. It is thick enough to need one. Stir it each time before pouring.

Technique

• The whole pineapple including the well washed skin goes into the drink, since the skin carries a great deal of the perfume.
• Chicha covers a wide range of Latin American drinks, some fermented and alcoholic, and Panamanian ones are generally sweet and unfermented.

Substitutions

• Rice flour can replace soaked ground rice, though the texture is slightly different.
• Any ripe pineapple works and the skin is the important part for flavour.

Variations

• Some households add condensed milk for a creamier drink.
• A version left to ferment briefly is made in some places.
• Chicha de maiz and chicha de saril are the other Panamanian favourites.

History

A Panamanian home and market drink using the whole pineapple including the skin for its perfume.

Frequently asked questions

What is Chicha de arroz con piña?

Chicha de arroz con piña is a drink from Panama: cold drink of ground rice, pineapple and cinnamon, thick and sweet. A Panamanian home and market drink using the whole pineapple including the skin for its perfume.

How long does Chicha de arroz con piña take to make?

Chicha de arroz con piña takes 20 minutes plus soaking of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes about 2 litres. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Chicha de arroz con piña?

Yes, within limits. Rice flour can replace soaked ground rice, though the texture is slightly different. Any ripe pineapple works and the skin is the important part for flavour.

What is the most important thing to get right in Chicha de arroz con piña?

Use a stiff brush on the whole surface. Rinse it well afterwards in water. The skin turns from green to golden. Rinse the rice in plenty of cold water. Cover it with water and leave it to soak. Give it at least four full hours.