A creamy, cold drink made from cooked corn kernels, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon — Panama's refreshing traditional corn beverage.
Ingredients
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2 cups dried corn kernels (or 4 cups fresh corn)
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1L milk
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1 cup sugar
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2 cinnamon sticks
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1/2 tsp nutmeg
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Pinch of salt
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Crushed ice
Instructions
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1
Cook dried corn kernels in water until very tender, about 1.5 hours. Drain. (Skip if using fresh corn.)
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2
Blend half the cooked corn with milk until smooth. Leave the other half as whole kernels.
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3
Combine blended mixture and whole kernels in a pot. Add sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg.
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4
Simmer 10 min, stirring. Remove cinnamon sticks.
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5
Cool completely, then refrigerate until cold.
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6
Serve over crushed ice. The drink should have visible corn kernels in it.
Did You Know?
Chicheme vendors at Panamanian bus stops are a lifeline — passengers grab a bag of chicheme through the window during brief stops.