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Tojorí

Tojorí: warm purple-corn breakfast porridge from Potosí and Sucre

Before dawn in Potosí and Sucre, vendors ladle steaming tojorí from big pots into glasses for miners, students and market workers. It is a pourable porridge of ground corn cooked with cinnamon, cloves and sugar; the purple-corn version is mildly fruity and turns a deep violet. It is drunk with buñuelos or a bread roll. Don't stop stirring in the first ten minutes, which is when it sticks and scorches. Chef's tip: toast the corn flour in a dry pan for a couple of minutes before you start; it brings out a roasted, nutty taste.
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Toast 4 oz purple corn flour (harina de maíz morado) in a dry pan over a medium-low heat, stirring, until it smells nutty, about 2 minutes. Tip into a bowl and whisk in 300 ml of 0.3 litres water to a smooth paste.

    4 min
  2. Step 2: Bring the rest of 0.9 litres water to the boil in a saucepan with 1 cinnamon stick and 4 cloves and simmer for 5 minutes.

    7 min
  3. Step 3: Pour in the corn paste in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Lower the heat and keep stirring for the first 10 minutes, as this is when it catches.

    10 min
  4. Step 4: Add 2 ½ oz sugar and 1 pinch salt and simmer gently, stirring often, until it thickens to a pourable cream that coats the spoon and no longer tastes floury.

    15 min
  5. Step 5: Fish out the spices and serve hot in glasses or mugs.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
150 kcal
Protein
2 g
Carbs
35 g
Fat
1 g
Fibre
2 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does tojorí take?
About 40 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 35 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 vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
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 cinnamon stick?
½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
What can I use instead of cloves?
Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.

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