Venezuelan Andean Chicha

Andean chicha is a drink originating in the Venezuelan Andes. Its origin is attributed to the indigenous people, who considered it a drink for the gods. His recipe has survived to this day, passed down from generation to generation.

It is a traditional Venezuelan drink, unique in its flavor, very nutritious and natural. There are many variations of the recipe for this drink depending on the region.

In its beginnings it was a drink fermented only from corn, with time and the arrival of the colonizers, it was combined with new ingredients such as rice, giving way to a transformed fermented drink as we know it today.

INGREDIENTS OF THE ANDEAN CHICHA:

FOR 1 AND A HALF A LITER OF CHICHA ANDINA APPROXIMATELY

• The shell of a pineapple

• 250 gr of paper (cane sugar cane)

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 6 cloves

• 1 cup of rice

• 6 cups of water approximately

PREPARATION:

1st FERMENTED OF THE ANDEAN CHICHA - THE PINEAPPLE GUARAPO

Put the pineapple shell, 2 cups of water and half of the cane sugar in a pot to cook as an infusion. Boil, simmer for about 15 minutes with the pot covered. Remember to wash the pineapple shell well before using it.

Once the pineapple guarapo is ready, add it to a plastic container and cover it, leave it at room temperature, some 8 days. You must move and test every day, since depending on the temperature (if the temperature is high), it may ferment faster (mine was an average temperature of approximately 8ºC).

A white layer will form on top, if you see a trace of green mold, for some reason, you should remove them, for this you should also check and move every day.

Once the days of the first fermentation have passed, and that is to your liking, place the cup of rice to cook with 3 cups of water, the cloves, the cinnamon and the other half of the cane panela. At this point keep an eye on the sweetness you may like less sweet or sweeter, I recommend that you add the second half of the panela in portions and that you try and at the end of this step decide whether to add more or not.

Once the rice is ready, you must crush it well together with the pineapple guarapo made in the first stage and with everything and shells. The ideal is to do this step in batches, little by little, alternating guarapo and rice, until it is completely crushed and a thick and homogeneous mixture remains, add more water if necessary (2 or 3 cups) since it usually thickens too much.

Once we have it well crushed, we proceed to place in a large pot and cook over low heat for around 20 to 30 minutes, you must constantly move so that it does not stick to the pot and burn. At this point if we have had a lot of water we can thicken to our liking, if we do not want it because we have found the desired consistency, neither so thick nor so liquid (middle ground), always keep it covered.

Here you can test if you like the sweetness that is left or if you need more cane sugar, add it in this step.

Once ready. strain as many times as necessary to remove any remaining pieces of the mixture. Ideally, strain with a clean cloth, I sneaked 2 times, you may need more.

2ND STAGE OF THE ANDEAN CHICHA - 2ND FERMENTED:

Place in a large glass container, because it tends to increase the volume, leave covered and at room temperature for around 1 day (24 hours), at this stage also the days that will be left will be to taste, and trying it every day, there are those who usually leave it for several days, I like it with mild fermentation.

After 24 hours, depending on the temperature you are at, it may be less hours. stir the Andean chicha well and put it in the fridge, it is taken very cold.

Ready! Enjoy this rich Andean chicha, a pre-Columbian drink from our beloved ancestors, the Indians.