Mote con Huesillo (Chilean Peach & Wheat Berry Drink)

About This Recipe

Mote con huesillo is the quintessential summer drink of Chile, so deeply embedded in the national culture that it is considered a symbol of Chilean identity alongside the empanada and the cueca. Sold from large glass jars by vendors at bus stops, plazas and beaches throughout Chile from October to March, it is consumed by the glass or the kilo, sipped and chewed simultaneously — half-drink, half-dessert. The components are two: mote, which is husked and cooked wheat berries (though some northern Chilean versions use hominy corn), and huesillo, which is dried peach (durazno seco) rehydrated in a syrup made with panela (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon and clove. The peach syrup is served chilled, the mote cooked and cooled, and the assembly is always the same: a ladle of mote at the bottom of a tall glass, the rehydrated peach placed on top, then the cold peach nectar poured over until the glass is full. The mote provides a chewy, nutty counterpoint to the sweet, fragrant nectar. The dried peach swells during cooking into a soft, jammy whole fruit that surrenders to a spoon. Together with the cold nectar — which carries the warm spice notes of cinnamon and clove against the bright acidity of peach — the combination is cooling, satisfying and distinctly Chilean.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 300 gdried peaches (huesillo)(Chilean-style sun-dried peaches; halved dried peaches are the closest substitute)
• 200 gpanela or brown sugar(adjust to sweetness preference)
• 2 stickscinnamon
• 4cloves
• 1.5 litreswater(for the peach syrup)
• 300 gmote (hulled wheat berries)(or cooked pearl barley as substitute)
• 2 litreswater(for cooking the wheat)
• 1 tspsalt(for cooking the wheat)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the dried peaches

   Rinse the dried peaches and place in a large bowl. Cover with 500 ml of the water and soak 2 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator).

2. 2

   Make the peach nectar

   Transfer peaches and their soaking water to a pot. Add the remaining litre of water, panela, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 20–25 minutes until the peaches are plump, soft and the syrup is lightly sweet and fragrant.

   Taste the syrup — it should be pleasantly sweet but not cloying. Adjust panela accordingly.

3. 3

   Cool the syrup

   Remove from heat. Let the peach syrup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours until cold. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves before serving.

4. 4

   Cook the mote

   Rinse wheat berries under cold water. Place in a pot with 2 litres of water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 35–45 minutes until the berries are tender but still pleasantly chewy. Drain, rinse under cold water and refrigerate until cold.

5. 5

   Assemble and serve

   For each serving, place 4–5 tbsp of cold mote in a tall glass. Place one or two plump rehydrated peaches on top. Pour the cold peach nectar over until the glass is full. Serve immediately with a long spoon.

Variations

• •

  Mote con huesillo de maíz: northern Chilean version using hominy corn instead of wheat berries.

• •

  Add a splash of fresh lemon juice to the nectar for acidity that brightens the sweetness.

Storage

Store mote and peach syrup (with peaches) separately, refrigerated, up to 5 days. Assemble each glass to order. The cold mote and syrup actually improve after a day as the flavors meld.

Frequently Asked Questions