Api Morado (Bolivian Hot Purple Corn Drink)
In short: A thick, steaming drink of ground purple corn simmered with cinnamon, cloves and sugar, finished with lemon and traditionally paired with fried pastries. It takes about 45 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 168 kcal
Api morado is the deep purple drink Bolivians sip on cold mornings, often from street stalls beside a basket of hot fried pastries. Ground purple corn is whisked into water scented with cinnamon, cloves and orange peel, then cooked until it thickens to the texture of thin custard. A squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it from tasting flat. It is sweet, warming and filling.
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk the purple corn flour with 500 ml (2 cups) of the cold water until there are no lumps.
- Put the remaining 1 L (4 cups) of water in a saucepan with the cinnamon, cloves, orange peel and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Whisk the corn mixture again and pour it slowly into the pan, whisking constantly.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until thickened to the consistency of thin custard and no longer tasting raw. Add a splash of hot water if it gets too thick.
- Pour the api through a fine sieve to remove the spices and peel. Stir in the lemon juice, taste for sugar and serve very hot in mugs or tall glasses.
Tips
- Whisk the purple corn flour into cold water first, never straight into hot liquid, or it will clump. Stir often near the end, because the drink thickens fast and can scorch.
- Purple corn flour is sold in Andean and Latin American shops. For api blanco, use finely ground white corn flour instead and keep the same method, which gives a pale, milder drink.
Questions and answers
What is api in Bolivia?
Api is a hot, thick drink made from ground corn, sweetened and spiced with cinnamon and cloves. The purple version, api morado, is the best known, and the white version is called api blanco.
What do you eat with api?
Fried cheese pastries called pasteles, and sometimes buñuelos. The pastry is salty and sweet, and the api is hot and soft.
Can I drink api cold?
It is meant to be hot, because it thickens as it cools and turns pudding-like. If you chill it, thin it with a little cold water.
How long does it take to make Api Morado (Bolivian Hot Purple Corn Drink)?
About 45 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 35 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Api Morado (Bolivian Hot Purple Corn Drink)?
About 168 kcal per serving, with 2 g of protein, 38 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 168 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Fat | 1 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Sodium | 5 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
