Chicha venezolana

Ingredients

Rice

• 250 glong grain rice
• water, for soaking
• 1.5 litreswater, for cooking
• 3cinnamon sticks
• a pinch of salt

To finish

• 600 mlwhole milk
• 1 tincondensed milk, about 400 g
• 150 gsugar, or to taste
• 1 teaspoonvanilla

To serve

• plenty of ice
• ground cinnamon
• extra condensed milk, to drizzle
• tall plastic cups

Directions

1. Rinse the rice in cold water first. Give it at least two full hours. Drain it before it goes into the pot. Put the drained rice in a large pot. Add the water and the cinnamon sticks. Add a good pinch of salt to it. Bring it to a boil and lower the heat. Let it simmer for about thirty-five minutes.
2. Stir it regularly so it does not catch. It should be completely falling apart. Cook it longer if it is still holding shape. Add hot water if it goes too dry. Take the pot off the heat entirely.
3. Let it cool down considerably. Hot liquid in a blender is dangerous. Let it cool to warm before blending. Put the cooked rice in a blender. Add some of the milk to help it move. Blend it until completely smooth. Give it a good three full minutes.
4. Work in batches rather than overfilling it. It should end up perfectly smooth. Pour the blended mixture through a sieve. Press it through with the back of a spoon.
5. Add the rest of the milk to the strained rice. Add the condensed milk and stir it in. Add the sugar and the vanilla. Stir until everything has dissolved. Taste it and adjust the sweetness. It should pour thickly but still pour.
6. Add more milk if it is too thick. Allow for that when judging it warm. Cover it and refrigerate it for four hours. It must be genuinely cold when served.
7. Warm chicha is thoroughly unpleasant. Serving it is done cold over ice. Stir it well before you pour it. Fill tall cups with plenty of ice. Pour the chicha over all the ice. Dust ground cinnamon generously over that. It is drunk cold as a snack or a treat. Stir it each time before pouring.

Technique

• Chicha covers many different Latin American drinks, some fermented and alcoholic, but the Venezuelan version is an unfermented sweet milk drink.
• The rice is deliberately cooked well past done so it collapses and thickens the liquid before blending.

Substitutions

• Evaporated milk in place of some of the whole milk gives a richer drink.
• Sugar alone can replace the condensed milk, though the texture is thinner.

Variations

• Some vendors add a little cornflour for extra body.
• A version made with pasta rather than rice is sold in some places.
• Chicha andina, made from fermented maize, is a completely different drink.

History

Thick sweetened rice drink sold from street carts in plastic cups, dusted with cinnamon and finished with condensed milk.

Frequently asked questions

What is Chicha venezolana?

Chicha venezolana is a drink from Venezuela: thick sweet rice-and-milk drink served over ice with cinnamon. Thick sweetened rice drink sold from street carts in plastic cups, dusted with cinnamon and finished with condensed milk.

How long does Chicha venezolana take to make?

Chicha venezolana takes 15 minutes plus soaking of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes about 2 litres. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Chicha venezolana?

Yes, within limits. Evaporated milk in place of some of the whole milk gives a richer drink. Sugar alone can replace the condensed milk, though the texture is thinner.

What is the most important thing to get right in Chicha venezolana?

Work in batches rather than overfilling it. It should end up perfectly smooth. Pour the blended mixture through a sieve. Press it through with the back of a spoon.