Guandolo or Guarapo (Colombian Panela and Lime Drink)
Guandolo, also called guarapo, is panela dissolved in cold water and sharpened with lime. Nothing is cooked and nothing ferments: the panela melts on its own over about an hour. It is the everyday cold drink of Colombia's sugarcane regions, and it makes seven glasses.
Servings: 7
Calories: 121kcal
Ingredients
- ½ pound panela, chopped into small pieces about 8 oz / 225 g; piloncillo is the same thing. Small pieces matter: a whole block takes hours
- Juice of 4 large limes limes, not lemons; bitter orange is the traditional alternative
- 8 cups water about 1.9 liters, cold
- 4 lime slices, for serving
Instructions
- Put the water and the chopped panela in a large jug and leave it to dissolve for about an hour, stirring now and then. It is ready when no grains are left at the bottom and the water has turned amber.
- Add the lime juice and stir. Add plenty of ice and keep it in the fridge until cold.
- Serve with a thin slice of lime on the glass.
Notes
Chop or grate the panela before it goes in the water. A whole block can take several hours to dissolve, while small pieces take about one. Add the ice to the glasses rather than the jug, so the drink does not water down as it sits.
Nutrition
Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg