Api Morado

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 2 sticks cinnamon sticks
• 6 each cloves – whole
• 1 each orange – peel removed in wide strips (use peel only)
• 2 cups water – cold (for slurry)
• 1 cups purple corn flour
• 0.75 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice – freshly squeezed

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, combine 6 cups water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and the wide strips of orange peel. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 10 minutes to infuse.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the purple corn flour with 2 cups cold water until completely smooth with no lumps.
3. Increase the heat under the pot to medium. While whisking the simmering infusion continuously, slowly pour in the corn-flour slurry in a thin stream. Keep whisking until the mixture returns to a simmer.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking frequently, until thick, glossy, and bubbling with slow plops, 12–18 minutes.
5. Stir in the granulated sugar until fully dissolved, 1–2 minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peel, then strain the drink through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pot to catch any remaining spices or lumps.
6. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve steaming hot in mugs.