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Camu camu
Camu camu berry juice
Camu camu: a tart, bright pink Amazon juice of camu camu berries
Camu camu are small purple-red berries that grow on bushes along the flooded riverbanks of the Peruvian Amazon, and in Iquitos and Pucallpa they are sold as frozen pulp and blended into a sharp, pink refresco at juice bars and lunch places. The flavour is intensely sour, more than lime, with a faint cherry note, and the berries are famous for containing far more vitamin C than oranges. It is the drink people order with a heavy plate of tacacho or rice. Never boil camu camu or make the juice hours ahead: heat and air quickly fade its colour and much of the vitamin C, so blend it cold and drink it soon. Frozen pulp or freeze-dried powder from health-food and Latin shops are the forms you'll find abroad. Chef's tip: start with half the pulp and add more to taste; it's strong enough that a little goes a long way.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 7 oz camu camu pulpfrozen, partly thawed; or 2 tbsp camu camu powder
- 5 cups cold water
- 3 ⅛ oz sugaror to taste
- 12 ice cubes
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Blend 3 ½ oz camu camu pulp with 2 ½ cups cold water and 3 ⅛ oz sugar for 30 seconds, until pink and frothy.
Step 2: Taste and blend in the rest of 3 ½ oz camu camu pulp for a sharper drink, then strain through a sieve into a jug to remove any seeds and skin.
Step 3: Stir in the rest of 2 ½ cups cold water and serve straight away over 12 ice cubes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 65 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does camu camu take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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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