USVI Red Grout

About This Recipe

Red grout is a uniquely Virgin Islands dessert: tart guava juice is cooked with cornstarch and coconut milk into a silky, pudding-like porridge, then poured into bowls and chilled until set. It is served at celebrations, after church, and as a cooling treat on hot island days, and its deep pink-red hue — drawn entirely from the guava itself — is part of what makes it instantly recognisable on a dessert table. Getting the texture right comes down to how the cornstarch is handled: it's mixed to a smooth slurry with a little cold liquid before going anywhere near the hot pot, since adding it directly to hot guava juice would cause it to clump rather than dissolve evenly, and the mixture is stirred constantly as it thickens to avoid a lumpy or scorched result. The coconut milk is folded in once the base has thickened, softening the guava's tartness into something rounder and creamier without cooking the coconut flavour away. Because it needs several hours in the fridge to set into its characteristic silky, sliceable consistency, red grout is a make-ahead dessert by nature — most households prepare it the night before whatever occasion it's meant for.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsguava juice(or guava nectar)
• 1 cancoconut milk(400 ml)
• 4 tbspcornstarch
• 3 tbspsugar
• ½ tspvanilla extract

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix cornstarch

   Whisk cornstarch with ¼ cup of the guava juice until smooth.

2. 2

   Heat liquids

   Combine remaining guava juice, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

3. 3

   Thicken

   Pour in cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the pudding thickens, about 5 minutes.

   Keep stirring to prevent scorching.

4. 4

   Set and chill

   Stir in vanilla, pour into bowls, and refrigerate at least 2 hours until set. Serve chilled.

Variations

• •

  Use mango juice for a yellow variation.

• •

  Add a pinch of cinnamon for warmth.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days, covered.

Frequently Asked Questions