Don’t be mad at me.

How could I possibly make you mad, you ask? Because I’m going to tempt you with this deeply flavorful, fruity and exotic Peruvian beverage called Chicha Morada.

So what’s the problem? Well, Chicha Morada is made from purple corn. The drink gets its gorgeous, rich color (along with a healthy dose of anti-inflammatory anthocyanins) from ears of dried purple corn-on-the-cob. And thus the problem: sourcing dried purple corn.

I generally avoid calling for hard-to-find ingredients because I want you to spend your time cooking, not shopping. But in rare instances (such as this one), I find a product or a recipe that intrigues me enough that I want to share. I found purple corn at a Latin American market in NE Portland, and my guess is that Latin or South American markets are a good place to start your search. I’ve also used this online source with great success: amigo foods.

Once you locate the purple corn it’s just a matter of simmering it in a pot full of water along with some spices (cinnamon and clove make the house smell great), an apple, and the peel and core of a whole pineapple. After about an hour, strain out the solids and lightly sweeten the Chicha Morada with a combination of pineapple juice and agave nectar, plus a squeeze of lime juice for acidity. The whole process takes a little over an hour, but it’s almost entirely hands-off and well worth your time.

If you still don’t feel like making Chicha Morada, check the menu next time you’re at a Peruvian restaurant (which are notoriously friendly for gluten-free diets, by the way). Portland’s Andina makes a fantastic one, and I’ve seen it other places as well. Hope you’ll give it a try. Cheers! ~LbR