Ingredients
Chan
- 4 tablespoonschan seeds
- or 4 tablespoons chia seeds
- 300 mlwater, for soaking
The drink
- 1.5 litrescold water
- 200 gpanela, grated
- or 200 g sugar
- juice of 4 limes
- a pinch of salt
Sometimes added
- a few mint leaves
- a splash of orange juice
- plenty of ice
Directions
- Put the chan seeds in a bowl or jug. Pour the soaking water over them. Stir them well right straight away. Stirring stops them clumping together. Stir again after five minutes. Judging the soaking takes a look.
- Chop or grate it before it goes in. Dissolve it in a little warm water first.
- Stir it until completely dissolved. Put the cold water in a large jug. Add the dissolved panela syrup. Squeeze in all of the lime juice.
- Add the pinch of salt as well. Stir the whole jug thoroughly. Tip the soaked seeds and their jelly in. Stir it well to distribute them. They should be suspended throughout.
- Taste it and adjust the sweetness. It should be sweet and sharply limey. Add more lime if it seems flat.
- Add more panela if it seems sharp. Refrigerate it for at least two hours. Add water if it becomes too thick. Serving it is done properly cold.
- Stir the jug well before pouring. The seeds settle to the bottom otherwise. Fill glasses with plenty of ice. Pour the fresco over all the ice. It keeps two days refrigerated.
Technique
- Chan is the Salvadoran name for chia, Salvia hispanica, a mint-family plant native to Mexico and Central America and cultivated there long before European contact; it is unrelated to sesame.
- Chia seeds are covered in soluble fibre that absorbs many times its weight in water, forming the clear jelly coat that gives the drink its character.
- Dry chia swells dramatically in liquid and there are documented cases of it blocking the throat, so it must always be fully soaked before drinking and never eaten dry by the spoonful.
Substitutions
- Ordinary chia seed is exactly the same thing and is widely sold.
- Sugar stands in for panela, though it tastes flatter and less rounded.
Variations
- Some vendors add mint or a splash of orange juice.
- A version made with more lime is sharper and more refreshing.
- Chan is also stirred into other Salvadoran frescos.
History
Chan is the Salvadoran name for chia; the seeds swell into a jelly coat and the drink is sold at markets.
Frequently asked questions
What is Fresco de chan?
Fresco de chan is a drink from El Salvador: water with swollen chia seeds, lime and panela, drunk very cold. Chan is the Salvadoran name for chia; the seeds swell into a jelly coat and the drink is sold at markets.
How long does Fresco de chan take to make?
Fresco de chan takes 15 minutes plus soaking of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes about 2 litres. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Fresco de chan?
Yes, within limits. Ordinary chia seed is exactly the same thing and is widely sold. Sugar stands in for panela, though it tastes flatter and less rounded.
What is the most important thing to get right in Fresco de chan?
Add the pinch of salt as well. Stir the whole jug thoroughly. Tip the soaked seeds and their jelly in. Stir it well to distribute them. They should be suspended throughout.
