Mazamorra Morada

Mazamorra morada is Lima's most iconic street dessert — a deep purple pudding made from maíz morado, the ancient Andean purple corn, thickened with sweet potato starch and perfumed with cinnamon, cloves, and quince. Sold from giant pots by vendedoras throughout Lima's neighbourhoods, it is served warm or chilled and is inseparable from its companion dessert, arroz con leche, the pair known as clásico combinado.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb) dried purple corn cobs and kernels (maíz morado)
• 2 litres (8 cups) water
• 1 quince or 2 firm pears, peeled, cored, and diced into 1 cm (½ inch) pieces
• 2 peaches or nectarines, peeled and diced (fresh or frozen)
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 4 cloves
• Peel of ½ pineapple (optional, for fragrance)
• 180g (¾ cup) sugar, or to taste
• 80g (5 tbsp) sweet potato starch or cornstarch, dissolved in 120ml (½ cup) cold water
• 3 tbsp (45ml) fresh lime juice
• Ground cinnamon, to serve

Instructions

1. Combine purple corn, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and pineapple peel in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes until the water turns a deep, inky purple. Strain out the solids and return the liquid to the pot — you should have about 1.5 litres.

2. Add diced quince to the purple corn liquid. Simmer 15 minutes until beginning to soften.

3. Add peaches and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust sweetness.

4. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the dissolved starch in a slow, steady stream while stirring constantly. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the pudding thickens to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

5. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Pour into a large serving bowl or individual cups.

6. Serve warm or cold, dusted with ground cinnamon.

Cook's Notes: Maíz morado is rich in anthocyanins — the same purple pigment in blueberries and red cabbage. Bottled maíz morado concentrate is available in Latin grocery stores and can replace the boiling step; use 500ml diluted with 1 litre water. The pudding thickens further as it cools.