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Colada morada
Colada morada: Quito's thick purple-corn and berry drink for the Day of the Dead
Every year in the days before 2 November, the Día de los Difuntos, Quito's kitchens and bakeries fill with the smell of colada morada: a warm, spoon-thick drink of purple corn flour cooked with blackberries, blueberries, pineapple and a bundle of fragrant herbs and spices. It is deep violet, sweet-tart and full of chopped fruit, and it is always served with guaguas de pan, the bread babies, often shared with family at the cemetery. The most common mistake is stirring the corn flour straight into hot liquid, which makes lumps: whisk it into cold water first. Chef's tip: lemon verbena and lemongrass give the authentic perfume; if you can find naranjilla or a few orange leaves, add them to the spice pot too.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the spiced water
- 2.5 litres waterdivided
- 1 pineapplesmall; peel and core for the pot, flesh diced for serving
- 6 cloves
- 1 handful lemon verbena (hierba luisa)fresh, or 2 tbsp dried
- 2 stalks lemongrassbruised
For the colada
- 10 ½ oz blackberriesfresh or frozen
- 7 oz blueberriesfresh or frozen
- 9 oz panela or dark brown sugargrated; to taste
To finish
- 7 oz strawberriesdiced
- 5 ½ oz babaco or papaya (optional)diced
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 2 litres of 2 litres water in a large pot with the peel and core of 1 pineapple, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, 6 allspice berries, 2 star anise, 1 handful lemon verbena (hierba luisa) and 2 stalks lemongrass. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes until fragrant and pale gold. Strain and return the liquid to the pot.
25 minStep 2: Blend 10 ½ oz blackberries and 7 oz blueberries with a ladle of the spiced water until smooth, then press through a sieve into the pot, discarding the seeds.
5 minStep 3: Whisk 5 ½ oz purple corn flour (harina de maíz morado) into the remaining 500 ml of cold 0.5 litres water until completely smooth, with no dry lumps.
Step 4: Bring the pot to a simmer and pour in the corn mixture in a thin stream, whisking all the time.
2 minStep 5: Cook over a low heat for 30–40 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom so it doesn't catch, until it thickens to the consistency of pouring cream and no longer tastes floury.
35 minStep 6: Stir in 9 oz panela or dark brown sugar until dissolved and taste: it should be sweet but still tangy. Add the diced pineapple, 7 oz strawberries and 5 ½ oz babaco or papaya and simmer for 2 minutes more.
3 minStep 7: Serve hot in mugs, or chilled the next day when it thickens further; loosen with a little water if needed. Keeps 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 54 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does colada morada take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon sticks?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
- What can I use instead of cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
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