🇵🇾 Paraguayan Cuisine

Cocido Quemado

Burnt Mate Tea

Prep Time 5 min

Servings 2

Difficulty Easy

A uniquely Paraguayan hot tea made by caramelizing yerba mate with sugar over coals before brewing, creating a smoky, bittersweet dark drink unlike any other tea.

Ingredients

3 tbsp yerba mate
2 tbsp sugar
2 cups water
Milk (optional)

Instructions

1 Place sugar in a metal ladle or small pan over heat. Melt until it becomes dark caramel.
2 Add yerba mate to the caramelized sugar. Stir quickly to coat — the mate will toast and smoke.
3 Immediately add water to stop the caramelization. It will bubble vigorously.
4 Simmer 2-3 min. Strain into cups.
5 Serve black or with a splash of milk.

Did You Know?

The "quemado" (burnt) technique is what distinguishes Paraguayan cocido from all other mate preparations — the brief caramelization adds an irreplaceable smoky sweetness.