Purple Corn Mazamorra, a Finger-Licking Dessert from Lima

Hello fellow lovers of international gastronomy! I hope you're all doing great. Today I want to share with you how to prepare one of the most delicious desserts on the face of the Earth. This recipe is not only nutritious (given that it's made of purple corn), but also fairly simple and 100% Peruvian. When I say purple corn, I mean that kind that has a very characteristic color in Lima, especially during the month of October when we celebrate the religious festivity of Our Lord of the Miracles.

Let me show you here the dish I prepared for myself. I decorated it with cinnamon powder that not only made it look good, but also gave it a delicious flavor.

Today I decided to prepare this dessert together with a friend who came for a visit. It's been a long time since I hadn't tasted purple corn so, since my beautiful mom gave me some good kilos of these to bring in my suitcase from Peru to Italy, I had the glorious feeling of preparing this recipe again.

Today we had some rain and wind here in Rimini, so it was the perfect time to try this sweet dish and serve it warm. This dessert can also be refrigerated and eaten the next day, I assure you, it will still have a spectacular flavor and its characteristic gelatinous texture.

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This sweet dish takes me back to my childhood. There is no kid in Lima that hasn't tasted at least one time the delicious purple corn in its mazamorra form, together with some great "arroz en leche" (a dessert based on milk and rice) topped with powdered cinnamon and Nestle. Generally, this dish is eaten at night, but that doesn't mean that you should stop yourself from enjoying it one day in the morning when it's stored in the fridge.

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Previously I have taught you how to prepare "Chicha Morada" (purple chicha) which as I told you, is an antioxidant beverage that is very good for your health. The recipe for purple mazamorra is very similar to the one for chicha, with the only difference that this time we'll add some dried and fresh fruit and potato-based flour. This flour will provide a nice texture to our Peruvian dish.

Ok my dear friends, lovers of good desserts and good taste, it's time to teach you to prepare this Peruvian delight. Prepare your pens and papers, because this dessert will take you to Heaven.

Ingredients:

• Purple corn (Select the driest grains for better consistency)
• Cinnamon
• Clove
• Lemon juice
• White sugar (to taste)
• Potato flour (also known as "chuño")

Procedure

1. The first thing you must do is turn on one of the burners in your kitchen and let the water boil together with the cinnamon, clove and purple corn. The secret for a more intense taste is to thresh the corn and place the corn stalk in the pot.
2. Bring all the ingredients to a boil and mix with a wooden spoon (if you have one) every now and again to integrate all the ingredients and aromas. As you can see, this is very easy.
3. Once it's totally boiled, we must use an empty pot and strain the corn. The result will be a purple liquid, which is the purple chicha! And again, my dear friends, we should put only the liquid back in the pot.
4. When the chicha is boiling, it's time to add the fruits. You can use the ones you like the most, for instance dried prunes, raisins, pineapple, peach... everything you may like is acceptable here. Also, add the sugar and start mixing to blend in the fruits and flavors of this delightful sweet dish.
5. Next, take a cup with a little water and add the potato flour (also known as "chuño"). Mix well so the flour is nicely integrated and without lumps.
6. With a wooden spoon start mixing the chicha with the potato flour in a circular pattern for an even consistency. The hot temperature will allow everything to dissolve properly in the pot.
7. Once the ingredients have been diluted, you'll notice that some sort of lumpy mix has been formed. This is the moment to mix in the lemon juice. If the lemons you're using are Peruvian, two lemons are more than enough.
8. After adding the lemon, we must continue mixing for about five minutes more and done! We have our delicious purple mazamorra, 100% Peruvian.
9. Serve in a bowl and top with a bit of cinnamon for decoration purposes. On the other hand, you can also add the cinnamon to the sides.

I hope that you're encouraged to prepare this dish soon, I assure you won't regret it.

I prepared today and had the opportunity to share it with my friends that had never tried this Peruvian dessert before. Everybody loved it and I got some more remaining for tomorrow in my fridge.

Thank you very much for reading this recipe and see you in another culinary adventure of Peru. See you soon!

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