Masato de arroz or fresh rice beverage is a creamy, refreshing beverage enjoyed throughout Latin America. The drink originated on the eastern plains of Colombia. Its original recipe has rice and sugar only. There, it is served at any time as a thirst quencher because of the relentless hot weather. To add a tropical touch, we usually use fruits such as pineapple and starfruit as garnish. We also serve it during fiestas or any festivities and normally in our homes, using a different fruit each time.
This drink is best served with cookies and breads. In Colombia, it is usually served with mantecada (Colombian corn bread) or almojábanas (Colombian cheese bread), among other breads.
Ingredients
50 grams rice
1 cup water (for cooking rice)
3 cinnamon sticks
4 tablespoons sugar
1 liter water
150 grams of sliced pineapple, starfruit, or
any preferred fruit
Directions:
Cook rice in 1 cup of water.
Add cinnamon sticks for flavor.
When cooked, remove the cinnamon sticks
and put the rice in a blender.
Add sugar and 1 liter of water.
Blend until smooth.
To serve, put ice cubes in a glass and add
a few pieces of pineapple. Pour the rice
beverage over the ice cubes and pineapple.
Garnish with sliced starfruit.
Note: Flavors can be combined with aromatic herbs or different fruits. The most important ingredient is rice.
Serves 4.
This recipe was submitted by the Latin American Fund for Irrigated Rice (FLAR), which was established on 16 January 1995. Thanks to the concerted efforts of various rice producers’ associations from Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).
_________________________________________
FLAR comprises a heterogeneous group of associations from both the private and the public sectors, from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Venezuela, and CIAT. FLAR’s team like to prepare Masato de arroz when they have special events such as CIAT’s field day or Rice Research Program field day, or when they are visiting their colleagues in the eastern plains of Colombia.
