Guayusa
Guayusa: the Ecuadorian Amazon's gentle dawn infusion of holly leaves
In Kichwa villages along the Napo river around Tena, families rise before dawn, gather around the fire and share a pot of guayusa: an infusion of the large leaves of an Amazon holly tree, passed round while people talk over dreams and plan the day. It tastes smooth, grassy and faintly sweet, with none of the bitterness of black tea, and it carries a steady lift of caffeine, so it is not one for young children or late evenings. Dried guayusa is sold loose in health-food and tea shops. A common mistake is treating it like delicate green tea and steeping it for just a minute; it needs a gentle simmer to draw out its flavour. Chef's tip: add a strip of lemongrass or a slice of ginger for a fragrant twist, and sweeten, if at all, with a little panela.
- Total time
- 14 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- ⅓ oz dried guayusa leavesabout 4 tbsp, or 8 fresh leaves
- 1 litre water
- 1 stalk lemongrass (optional)bruised
- 1 tbsp panela (optional)grated, to taste
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Bring 1 litre water to the boil in a pan, then turn it down to a gentle simmer.
5 minStep 2: Add ⅓ oz dried guayusa leaves and 1 stalk lemongrass and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, until the liquid turns clear golden-green and smells like fresh hay.
10 minStep 3: Strain into cups and stir in 1 tbsp panela if you like it sweet. Drink hot, or chill it over ice for an afternoon cooler.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 15 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does guayusa take?
- About 14 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
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