Ingredients
The gel
- 60 gdried sea moss (Gracilaria, sold across the Caribbean as Irish moss)
- 1lime, halved, for washing
- 1.2 litreswater, for soaking
- 800 mlfresh water, for cooking
- 1cinnamon stick
- 3whole cloves
To blend and serve
- 400 mlevaporated milk
- 150 mlsweetened condensed milk, or 120 ml cane syrup
- 1 tspvanilla essence
- ½ tspfreshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tspground cinnamon
- 1 tbsplinseed or a small pinch of salt, optional
- Ice, to serve
Directions
- Rinse the dried moss in several changes of cold water, rubbing it between your hands, until the water runs clear and the sea smell is faint but not gone. Sand hides in the fronds.
- Squeeze the lime into a bowl of fresh water, add the moss and leave to soak 12 hours or overnight. It will swell to three or four times its dry volume and turn pale and translucent.
- Drain, discard the soaking water and put the moss in a pot with the 800 ml fresh water, the cinnamon stick and the cloves.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer 25–30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the fronds have almost dissolved and the liquid is thick and slippery, coating the back of a spoon like thin syrup.
- Strain through a sieve into a bowl, pressing the solids, and leave to cool. Within 2–3 hours it will set to a firm, wobbling jelly. This gel is the base and keeps 2 weeks refrigerated.
- Spoon about 400 g of the gel into a blender with the evaporated milk and blend 45 seconds until completely smooth, with no rubbery threads left.
- Add the condensed milk, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and the optional linseed and blend another 30 seconds. Slacken with cold water or more milk until it pours like single cream.
- Chill hard for at least 4 hours and serve very cold in tall glasses over ice, with extra nutmeg grated on top. Drink within three days.
Technique
- Sea moss drink is treated across the Eastern Caribbean as a strengthening tonic rather than a treat, and is sold by the bottle at markets and gyms in Antigua.
- Do not skip the overnight soak or the wash. Under-washed moss carries sand and an aggressively marine flavour that the milk cannot hide.
- The gel thickens further in the fridge; blend it with liquid each time you serve rather than trying to store the finished drink thin.
- Sea moss is high in iodine. A glass or two a day is normal in the islands, but very heavy daily consumption is not a good idea for anyone managing a thyroid condition.
Substitutions
- No dried moss: use 4 tbsp of ready-made sea moss gel, now sold in jars, and start from the blending step.
- For a dairy-free drink, replace both tinned milks with 400 ml coconut milk and 4 tbsp cane syrup; this is common during Lent.
Variations
- Jamaican Irish moss, spiked with a shot of stout and a spoon of peanut butter.
- A plain spiced version sweetened only with honey and drunk warm for a cold.
- Sea moss punch blended with ripe banana and a little rum.
History
Harvested from Antiguan reefs and drunk as a tonic, often alongside the equally popular peanut punch.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sea moss drink?
Sea moss drink is a drink from Antigua and Barbuda: seaweed cooked to a gel and blended with milk, spice and sweetener. Harvested from Antiguan reefs and drunk as a tonic, often alongside the equally popular peanut punch.
How long does Sea moss drink take to make?
Sea moss drink takes 20 min of preparation and 30 min cooking, plus 12 hr soaking and 4 hr chilling of cooking. The recipe makes 1.5 litres. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Sea moss drink?
Yes, within limits. No dried moss: use 4 tbsp of ready-made sea moss gel, now sold in jars, and start from the blending step. For a dairy-free drink, replace both tinned milks with 400 ml coconut milk and 4 tbsp cane syrup; this is common during Lent.
What is the most important thing to get right in Sea moss drink?
Sea moss drink is treated across the Eastern Caribbean as a strengthening tonic rather than a treat, and is sold by the bottle at markets and gyms in Antigua.
