Tojorí

Ingredients

Maize

• 300 gcracked white maize, or maiz willkaparu
• water, for soaking

To cook

• 2 litreswater
• 2cinnamon sticks
• 4whole cloves
• a pinch of salt

To sweeten and enrich

• 150 gsugar, or chancaca
• 400 mlwhole milk
• 1 teaspoonvanilla, optional

To serve

• ground cinnamon
• bread rolls, alongside

Directions

1. Put the maize in a bowl and cover it deeply with water. It swells considerably as it takes up water. Leave it on the counter overnight. Drain and rinse it thoroughly in the morning. Pick out any dark or damaged kernels. Put the drained maize into a large heavy pot.
2. Pour in the two litres of fresh water. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves and salt. Bring it up to the boil over a high heat. Cover the pot loosely and let it cook. It needs about an hour and a half.
3. Check the water level every half hour. Top it up with hot water as it reduces. Stir it occasionally so it does not catch. Testing the maize tells you when it is ready.
4. Take out a few kernels and press them. They should crush into a soft floury paste. Stir in the sugar until it dissolves completely. Melt it in a little hot water before adding it. Pour in the milk and stir it through.
5. Bring it back to a bare simmer over low heat. Do not let it boil hard once the milk is in. Add the vanilla now if you are using it. Taste it and adjust the sugar to your liking. It should be thick but still pourable from a ladle.
6. Add more hot milk or water if it is too stiff. Serving it is done piping hot in mugs. Stir the pot well before every ladle. Make sure each cup gets its share of kernels.
7. Dust ground cinnamon over the top of each mug. It keeps for two days and thickens in the refrigerator.

Technique

• Tojori belongs to a family of Andean maize drinks that includes api, made from purple maize, and somo, which is served cold.
• The Oruro carnival is inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage, and street food like tojori is part of its early morning routine.

Substitutions

• Tinned hominy can be used and cuts the cooking to about twenty minutes, though the liquid is thinner.
• Evaporated milk diluted with water replaces fresh milk and keeps better at altitude.

Variations

• A version made without milk is lighter and closer to a spiced maize water.
• Some vendors add a strip of orange peel to the pot.
• Api is the related purple maize drink served hot with fried pastries.

History

A breakfast drink of Oruro and the altiplano, drunk on cold carnival mornings.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tojorí?

Tojorí is a drink from Bolivia: hot maize porridge drink with cinnamon, sold at dawn in winter. A breakfast drink of Oruro and the altiplano, drunk on cold carnival mornings.

How long does Tojorí take to make?

Tojorí takes 10 minutes plus overnight soaking of preparation and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Tojorí?

Yes, within limits. Tinned hominy can be used and cuts the cooking to about twenty minutes, though the liquid is thinner. Evaporated milk diluted with water replaces fresh milk and keeps better at altitude.

What is the most important thing to get right in Tojorí?

Bring it back to a bare simmer over low heat. Do not let it boil hard once the milk is in. Add the vanilla now if you are using it. Taste it and adjust the sugar to your liking. It should be thick but still pourable from a ladle.