Pozol
Ingredients
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- 1 cups masa harina
- 6 cups water – cold
- ice cubes – for serving
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, combine the masa harina with 2 cups of the cold water. Knead with your hand until a smooth, cohesive dough forms and no dry flour remains, 2–3 minutes.
2. Gradually whisk in the remaining 4 cups cold water until the masa dissolves and the liquid is evenly milky with no lumps.
3. Let the mixture rest 10 minutes to fully hydrate, then whisk again to re-suspend any settled solids.
4. For a smoother texture, strain through a medium‑mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing gently with a spoon; whisk once more to combine.
5. Serve in cups over ice cubes if desired. Stir before pouring and between sips, as the masa naturally settles.
Pozol is a cooling, sustaining corn drink from southern Mexico with a softly grainy body and the toasty aroma of nixtamalized maize. It is naturally creamy without dairy, lightly thick but refreshingly drinkable, and meant to be stirred as you go because the corn settles. Most versions are simply water and corn dough, though some regions enjoy sweetened, spiced, or cacao-enriched variations.
Rooted in Mesoamerican foodways, pozol traces to Indigenous communities of Chiapas and Tabasco, where it served as both drink and portable food. Travelers and field workers would carry a compact ball of masa to dissolve in water whenever needed, and some communities allow it to lightly ferment for tang and keeping quality. Cacao pozol (often called chorote) and savory versions with chile and salt developed locally, but the plain white pozol remains the foundational form.