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Jamaican Irish moss drink
Irish moss: creamy spiced sea moss drink
Sold chilled in bottles by roadside vendors and in Kingston juice bars, Jamaican Irish moss is a thick, creamy drink made from dried sea moss boiled down until it releases its natural jelly. Blended with milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, it tastes like a cool, spiced milkshake and is often drunk as a pick-me-up. The usual mistake is skipping the soak and rinse, which leaves a sandy, fishy taste. Chef's tip: the gel thickens a lot in the fridge, so blend it a little thinner than you want and chill it before judging.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 litre water
- 1 limejuice only
- 2 cups whole milkor evaporated milk for a richer drink
- 4 tbsp condensed milkor sugar to taste
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rinse 1 oz dried sea moss (Irish moss) well, then soak it in cold water with 1 lime for at least 4 hours or overnight. It will swell and pale. Rinse again, picking out any grit or shell.
Step 2: Put the moss in a pan with 1 litre water, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30–40 minutes, until it is very soft and the liquid has thickened and turned slippery.
40 minStep 3: Strain through a sieve, pressing on the moss, and cool the liquid. Discard what's left in the sieve.
Step 4: Blend the gel with 2 cups whole milk, 4 tbsp condensed milk, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp ground cinnamon and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and frothy.
Step 5: Chill for at least 1 hour until cold and thick. Stir and serve over ice. Keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jamaican Irish moss drink take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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