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Guaraná ralado
Grated guaraná drink
Guaraná ralado: grated guaraná stick stirred into cold water with sugar, Cuiabá's energising morning drink
Long before fizzy guaraná, people in Mato Grosso started the day with this: a hard, dark stick of roasted guaraná seed paste grated into a glass of cold water with sugar and stirred well. Cuiabá's older generation still drink it at breakfast or in the heat of the afternoon, and market stalls sell the sticks along with the traditional grater, the dried tongue of the pirarucu fish (a fine microplane works just as well). It tastes bitter-earthy, a little like cocoa without the fat, and the caffeine is strong. Because guaraná contains more caffeine than coffee, keep to one glass a day, and avoid it for children, during pregnancy or if you are sensitive to caffeine. The usual error is grating far too much, which makes it bitter and overpowering; a level teaspoon per glass is plenty. Chef's tip: let it stand for a minute after stirring so the powder hydrates, then stir again before drinking.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 2 tsp guaraná stick (bastão de guaraná)finely grated; from Brazilian shops or online
- 4 tsp sugaror to taste
- 2 cups cold water
- 6 ice cubes (optional)
- ½ lime (optional)juiced
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Grate the 2 tsp guaraná stick (bastão de guaraná) stick finely on a microplane until you have 2 level teaspoons of powder.
Step 2: Divide the powder and 4 tsp sugar between two tall glasses and add a splash of the 2 cups cold water. Stir into a smooth paste with no dry lumps.
Step 3: Fill up with the rest of the cold water, add 6 ice cubes and ½ lime if using, and stir well. Leave for 1 minute, stir again and drink straight away.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 40 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does guaraná ralado take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 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.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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