Colombian recipe
How to make Aguapanela
All over Colombia, especially the Andes
A simple drink of panela, hardened sugar cane juice, dissolved in water. It is drunk cold with lime on a hot day, or hot, sometimes with a piece of fresh cheese dropped in to melt.
Ingredients
- 200 g panela (from Latin American shops), or dark brown sugar
- 1 litre water
- 2 limes
- Ice, for the cold version, or 4 small pieces of mild fresh cheese made from pasteurised milk, for the hot version
Method
- Break the panela into small pieces with a heavy knife or a rolling pin.
- Put the water and panela in a pan and heat gently, stirring, until the panela has completely dissolved. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- For a cold drink, let it cool, add the juice of the limes and serve over ice.
- For a hot drink, pour it into mugs and add a squeeze of lime, or drop a piece of fresh cheese into each mug and eat it with a spoon as it softens.
Made it at home? Tick it off and it goes into your kitchen passport.
In Colombia black coffee is often made with aguapanela instead of water and sugar. Many people believe it helps with colds, although it is mostly sugar and water.
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