Chicheme is a fermented drink made from purple corn (pujagua), tapa de dulce, and ginger, traditionally associated with Costa Rica’s Christmas season.
It stands out from other corn drinks because of its fermentation process, which gives it a characteristic slightly sour flavor.
Print
Costa Rican Chicheme Drink
- Prep Time: 73 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 73 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Costa Rican
Ingredients
- 1 cup of purple corn (pujagua)
- 200 g of tapa de dulce (unrefined cane sugar) (about 7 oz)
- 1 piece of fresh ginger
- to taste of sugar
- 3 of cloves
- 2 liters of water (about 8 cups)
Instructions
- Soak the corn, soak the purple corn in water for several hours.
- Grind, grind the soaked corn into a paste and strain to extract the liquid.
- Boil, boil the strained liquid together with the tapa de dulce, ginger, and cloves.
- Cool, let the mixture cool completely.
- Ferment, place the mixture in a container covered only with a cloth so it can breathe, and let it ferment for several days in a cool place.
- Check the flavor, taste it periodically until it reaches the characteristic slightly sour flavor.
- Serve, serve warm or cold, never over ice.
Tips for getting it right
- Covering the container only with cloth, not an airtight lid, is essential for proper fermentation.
- Fermentation time varies with room temperature; it’s best to taste the chicheme daily.
- Chicheme is never served over ice, as this stops or alters its characteristic flavor.
- The longer it ferments, the more pronounced the drink’s sour flavor becomes.
Traditional variations
- It’s a drink especially associated with the end-of-year holidays in Costa Rica.
- Some families adjust the amount of ginger depending on the desired kick.
How to serve
Chicheme is served warm or cold, in a glass, without ice.
It’s a traditional Christmas-season drink in Costa Rica, with a distinctive flavor thanks to its fermentation.
Recommended sides
- Tamales
- Christmas bread
Did you know?
Chicheme is one of the few fermented drinks in traditional Costa Rican cuisine.
It’s covered only with a cloth during fermentation to let the drink “breathe” and develop its characteristic flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a fermented Costa Rican drink made with purple corn, tapa de dulce, and ginger, traditional to the Christmas season.
Covering it with cloth instead of an airtight lid lets the drink breathe, which is necessary for proper fermentation.
Ice alters the characteristic flavor developed by fermentation, so it's traditionally served warm or cold without ice.
The time varies depending on room temperature, so it's recommended to taste the drink daily until it reaches the desired flavor.
