Chicha de Jora, beer from the Andes

You can buy jora in the market, but if you want to make it yourself, the process starts with the sprouting of the corn. Place corn in a container, cover with water and soak for 5 days. After that, drain it and spread over different kinds of leaves, well covered. A nice sun bath is what follows, in order to dry the corn and to let it concentrate the sugars which give it its characteristic flavor. Then you can roast and grind the corn. Quite a process!

Every region of the country adds its own flavor to the recipe. In the North, it is carob; in the Andes, quinoa, pink peppercorns, or potato starch; in the Amazon jungle, it is yucca.

Kero is the name of the glass where chicha is served. Picanterías, in Arequipa and Cusco, are eateries where chicha is the customary beverage, being the equivalent of a strong Andean beer. When these places have chicha ready, they place a small flag at the door to invite customers to come and enjoy freshly made chicha de jora.

This drink can be used as an ingredient in several dishes too, especially in stews and some rice dishes. In the US, you can find chicha de jora in some Latin American grocery stores, but if it’s not easy to find in your area substitute with white wine or light beer when using it for cooking. It will work, even though it´s not the same.


Comments

  1. Didn’t see any recipe. Can anyone help?

  2. In Peru, Chicha de Jora is an exquisite drink. People with fine palate enjoy it. If deliberately is left to mature for more than two days, of course, it becomes like alcohol if you drank it, you can not walk your feet turn so heavy. I never have seen anyone getting drank with Chicha the Jora. We are not idiots.

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