Ingredients
Brew
- 20 gdried guayusa leaves
- 1 litrewater
Optional
- 1 stalklemongrass
- a slice of fresh ginger
- a piece of panela
Iced
- lime
- ice
Directions
- Bring the water to the boil and then take it off the heat for a minute.
- Add the leaves and steep, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. The leaves are thick and leathery and give up their caffeine slowly.
- Strain into cups, or drink it straight from the pot as it is drunk at home. It is naturally sweet and mildly grassy with none of the astringency of tea, so it needs no sugar; panela goes in for those who want it.
- Serve it hot, or chilled over ice with lime as it is drunk on hot afternoons. Kichwa families in the Ecuadorian Amazon brew it in the small hours, from around three in the morning, and sit around the pot while the night’s dreams are told and read before a hunt.
Technique
- It carries caffeine at roughly the level of coffee but almost no tannin, which is why long steeping does not spoil it.
- It is the Amazonian member of the same holly genus as yerba mate, and the family resemblance is obvious in the taste.
- It is sold both as loose leaf and in tea bags, and the loose leaf is much the better.
Substitutions
- Yerba mate, the closest relative in both flavour and effect.
- Fresh leaves, a good handful, if you can get them.
Variations
- With lemongrass and ginger brewed in.
- Iced with lime, as an afternoon drink.
- With a piece of panela dissolved into the pot.
History
Kichwa families in the Ecuadorian Amazon drink it at night gatherings where dreams are told before hunting.
Frequently asked questions
What is Guayusa?
Guayusa is a drink from Ecuador: amazonian holly leaf brewed as a caffeinated tea, drunk before dawn. Kichwa families in the Ecuadorian Amazon drink it at night gatherings where dreams are told before hunting.
How long does Guayusa take to make?
Guayusa takes 2 min of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1 litre. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Guayusa?
Yes, within limits. Yerba mate, the closest relative in both flavour and effect. Fresh leaves, a good handful, if you can get them.
What is the most important thing to get right in Guayusa?
It carries caffeine at roughly the level of coffee but almost no tannin, which is why long steeping does not spoil it.
