This post is also available in Spanish
Masato de Arroz is a rice-based creamy Colombian drink popular in the Tolima and Cundinamarca departments of Colombia. I received an email about a month ago from a Colombian reader who loves Masato de Arroz, but didn’t know how to make it. So, I decided to get a recipe from a friend from Bogotá and make it for my site.
There are almost as many variations of Masato in Latin America as there are people who make it. It can be made with rice, yuca, corn or pineapple.
The traditional and most popular Colombian Masato de Arroz is a fermented drink made with rice, sugar, cloves, water and cinnamon, while other variations add all purpose flour to the mixture. This drink is a perfect accompaniment to cookies, mantecada (Colombian corn bread) and almojabanas (Colombian cheese bread).
I don’t like my masato fermented, but If you prefer a fermented drink you can leave it in a non-reactive container for a few days. This drink can be kept for several days in the refrigerator, but you might notice some separation after a day, so just stir and it will be perfect again.
Buen provecho!
Ingredients
(About 5 cups)
- 2/3 cup of uncooked rice
- 6 cups of water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar (to your taste)
- Ground cinnamon, for serving
Directions
- Place rice and the cinnamon stick in a pot and cover with two cups of water. Cook for about 25 minutes or until tender. Discard the cinnamon stick. Pour cooked rice into a blender with two cups of water and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture.
- In a small pot, heat up the sugar and one cup of water on medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring back the mixture to the pot over low heat and cook for 20 minutes. Add the sugar mixture and the cloves. Add one more cup of water and serve over ice or chilled.
Comments
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Joanne says
With all that lovely cinnamon, this sounds perfect for fall!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
A wonderful rice drink, Erica.
Chris C says
For some time I have been trying to remember what that Colombian drink
was called. Then there you are with the name and recipe. Thank you!
tasha fall says
Just fyi, you are probably actually thinking of chicha, if you were in Colombia as a tourist, the chances of you trying masato and very slim, however, its very similar cousin chicha is sold very commonly in touristy areas, especially the candelaria in Bogota.
grace says
i’m with joanne–the cinnamon in this makes it infinitely alluring!
Evelyne@cheapethniceatz says
This sounds so refreshing, similar to horchata too. I really have a craving for it now, might make some tonight 🙂
Juliana says
Sounds delicious this rice drink especially with cinnamon…yum!
Hope you are having a wonderful week Erica 😀
Karen says
Hi Erica,
I was wondering how I could integrate liquor w/ this masato recipe. Also, what type of liquor do you think is best?
Thanks
tasha fall says
you are supposed to ferment it for 8 days, you don’t need yeast or anything, it already ferments naturaly if left unrefridgerated
an says
Masato MUST BE fermented, otherwise is not masato.
Lu says
Absolutely!
Anonymous says
I agree, if it is not fermented it is not Masato Colombiano!!!
felicia says
This sounds like horcheta but easier I am.going to.try this tonight thank you so much
Lu says
No fermentation? Real masato should be fermented on a ceramic pot for 3 days. You can add pinnaple skin to help with the fermentation process.
tasha fall says
8
Cris says
You are missing the key ingredient, Fermentation. The real masato from Tolima Colombia is slightly fermented.