Colada Morada
“A thick, spiced purple drink simmered from purple corn flour with blackberries, Andean blueberries, naranjilla and pineapple, scented with cinnamon, cloves and aromatic leaves. Drunk warm for Day of the Dead alongside guagua de pan bread.”
Where it comes from
An iconic Ecuadorian beverage drunk on Dia de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead, November 2), with pre-Incan roots in Quito-region harvest rituals; its name means strained purple.
On the plate
Warm, thick and deeply fruity, it tastes of tart blackberry and naranjilla wrapped in sweet, mulled cinnamon and clove. Pieces of soft fruit float through each spoonful, making it as much a drinkable dessert as a beverage.
How it works
Purple corn flour gelatinizes as it simmers, thickening the drink to a spoon-coating body while lending its deep color. Steeping whole spices and aromatic leaves first extracts their oils for a layered, mulled fragrance before the fruit goes in.
Variations
berry mixes vary, some add mortino blueberries, sweetness and spice levels differ by family, thinner versions are sipped from a cup
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 8How it's made
7 steps · Show ↓40 min active · 30 min waiting
How it's made
7 steps · Show ↓- 120 min
Simmer cinnamon, cloves, allspice and aromatic leaves in water to make a spiced infusion.
- 25 min
Strain the infusion and return the fragrant liquid to the pot.
- 320 min
Cook blackberries and Andean blueberries, then blend and strain into the spiced liquid.
- 410 min
Add naranjilla pulp and panela and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 55 min
Whisk purple corn flour into a little cold water, then stir into the pot.
- 620 min
Simmer, stirring, until the drink thickens to a pourable, velvety consistency.
- 75 min
Stir in diced fresh fruit such as pineapple and strawberries and serve warm.
