Mazamorra de Quinua con Lúcuma

Mazamorra is Peru's great tradition of thick, slow-cooked grain puddings, most famously made with purple corn. This modern-fusion interpretation uses the Andean superfood quinoa as its base, sweetened with lúcuma — a golden subtropical fruit with a maple-meets-sweet-potato flavour — for a dessert that bridges ancient Andean ingredients with contemporary wellness cooking.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz / 1 cup) white quinoa, well rinsed
• 700ml (3 cups) whole milk
• 300ml (1¼ cups) water
• 3 tbsp (45g) lúcuma powder (or 100g fresh lúcuma flesh, blended smooth)
• 3 tbsp (45g) sugar, plus more to taste
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp (30ml) evaporated milk, to finish
• 2 tbsp toasted quinoa, for garnish
• Ground cinnamon, for dusting
• Fresh stone fruit (peaches or apricots), sliced, to serve

Instructions

1. Toast the rinsed quinoa in a dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and beginning to pop.
2. Add the milk, water, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.
3. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 20–25 minutes until the quinoa is very tender and the mixture is thick and creamy.
4. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. Stir in the lúcuma powder, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
5. Cook a further 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the pudding holds a line when a spoon is drawn through it.
6. Stir in the evaporated milk for a silky finish.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature in bowls, dusted with cinnamon, scattered with toasted quinoa, and accompanied by fresh stone fruit slices.

Cook's Notes: Lúcuma powder is available in health food shops and Latin American grocers. The pudding thickens considerably as it cools — add a splash of warm milk to loosen if reheating. Leftover mazamorra keeps refrigerated for 2 days.