Enveloping creaminess and a warm spiced aroma with Andean soul. This peanut chicha is nostalgia in a glass: a nourishing drink balanced by panela and a clean toasted peanut flavor. Refreshing, smooth, and comforting in the way home cooking should be.
Toast the raw peanuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 6 minutes, stirring often, until deeply fragrant and lightly golden. Do not let them darken: burned peanuts make a punished chicha.
In a medium pot, boil part of the water with the panela, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and salt for 10 minutes, until the panela dissolves and the liquid smells spiced.
Remove the cinnamon and cloves. Blend the toasted peanuts with part of the infusion for
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Strain the mixture into a pitcher, pressing gently to extract flavor without pushing too much fiber through. Add the remaining water and stir; it should be creamy, but drinkable.
Serve with ice and stir before each glass, because the peanuts can settle slightly. The chicha should be fresh, smooth, and sweetened with panela without becoming cloying.
