Tepache, ancestral drink and source of probiotics
Staying hydrated is important for our body, imagine doing it with a delicious and very Mexican drink, which will also help you improve your digestive health. So, you must try the tepache. Here we share the recipe.
A bit of history
First we will tell you a little about the origin of this fermented drink. The word tepache comes from the Nahuatl “tepiatl” and means corn drink. Its consumption dates back to pre-Hispanic times, from the Mayan communities of the Yucatan Peninsula, who then fermented it with corn and sweetened it with piloncillo. After the conquest, they began to use fruit such as pineapple and spices, which gave rise to the drink we know today. For the Mayans it was considered a sacred drink, which they used to use in rituals.
Benefits
Tepache contains vitamin C provided by pineapple as a citrus fruit, it is also a source of vitamins A, B and minerals, such as magnesium. In addition, as a fermented drink it is a probiotic, natural antioxidant and its alcohol content is very low (1.5%).
The fermentation process tends to concentrate lactic acid bacteria, one of the most important probiotics. This helps fight harmful parasites in the stomach tract and improve your intestinal flora, relieves constipation and reduces or eliminates colitis.
Perhaps it comes to mind, the street vendor of tepache, transporting it in orange wooden barrels. You should know that in addition to transportation, wooden barrels help maintain the ideal temperature for fermentation.
Already entering the subject of Mexican fermented beverages, tepache has two cousins, which are tejuino and pozol, with whom it shares similar preparation processes and some even consider them to be variants of tepache. By the way, if you are a fan of taquitos, the tepache accompanies them very well. Now, we do share the recipe:
Tepache recipe
Ingredients
- 1lt 1⁄2 of water
-
1 bar of piloncillo
- 400 grams of pineapple peel (previously washed) * you can also use the heart of the pineapple.
- 4 black peppercorns * you can substitute or add 3 star anise
-
1 stick of cinnamon
- 3 cloves
Preparation
Let it rest for five days at room temperature in a container. The first two or three days leave it half covered, that is, without completely covering your container. On the third day, use a fine cloth or sky blanket as a cover, this will allow it to oxygenate.
Every day you should remove the foam that forms on the surface with a ladle; By the way, try it so you can measure the flavor. After five days it is strained, refrigerated and ready, you can drink it and add ice, so that it is very fresh!
The tepache begins to gain popularity and goes from being a typical drink of the streets or towns, to being a trendy and very healthy drink. If you are one of the people who loves kombucha, here is the option in the Mexican version, at a very affordable cost, and best of all, super easy to prepare, using of course, raw materials of good quality.
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