Venezuelan Rice Chicha — Homemade Chicha Criolla Recipe

Versión en Español

Venezuelan chicha, or chicha criolla, is a sweet, creamy rice drink made by soaking rice overnight, cooking it with water and a cinnamon stick until very soft, and blending it with milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, served very cold with ice and cinnamon. It takes 12 hours of preparation, mostly soaking, plus 35 minutes of cooking and serves 4 people.

It is a traditional drink enjoyed all over Venezuela, especially from street vendors, and a favorite during the Christmas season.

How to Make Venezuelan Rice Chicha?

Venezuelan chicha is easy to make with rice, milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk. The rice is cooked until it breaks down, then blended with the milks until silky and chilled.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of Venezuelan chicha contains approximately 220 kcal, 4 g of protein, 7 g of total fat, 35 g of carbohydrates, 30 g of sugars, and 80 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Venezuelan Chicha Recipe

Preparation: 12 hours
Cooking: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 liters (6 1/3 cups) of water, plus 2 cups for soaking
• 1 cup of white rice
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of condensed milk
• 1 cup of evaporated milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• Fine salt
• Ground cinnamon and ice to serve

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice very well in a large sieve under cold water, place it in a bowl, cover with 2 cups of water, and soak overnight. Drain the rice and place it in a large pot.

2. Add the 1 1/2 liters of water and the cinnamon stick and cook over medium heat for about 35 minutes, or until the rice is very tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Remove from the heat and let cool.

3. Put the rice in a blender with the sugar, milks, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed.

4. Pour into a clean pitcher and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve very cold with crushed ice, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, and, if you like, an extra spoonful of condensed milk.

Additional Tips

Overcook the rice

Cook the rice with more water than usual until almost mushy, so it blends completely with no gritty texture.

Street-style topping

Add a splash of unblended milk to the glass before the cinnamon; the white layer that sinks slowly gives it the look of a street stall chicha.

Adjust the thickness

If it is too thick after chilling, thin it with a little more milk.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I make it without soaking the rice?

Yes. Rinse the rice and cook it with more water and the cinnamon for 15 to 20 extra minutes, until extremely soft.

2. What if it is too thick?

Chicha should be thick but drinkable. Thin it gradually with more milk until you like the consistency.

3. Which rice is best?

Regular medium or long-grain white rice. Avoid sushi or brown rice, which change the creamy texture.

4. Is it fermented like Andean chicha?

No. Venezuelan chicha criolla is sweet and unfermented, meant to be drunk fresh, unlike Andean corn chicha, which is fermented.

What Is Venezuelan Chicha?

Venezuelan chicha, also called chicha criolla or chicha de arroz, is a sweet, milky rice drink sold by street vendors across Venezuela and made at home, especially at Christmas.

History of Venezuelan Chicha

Chicha is a traditional drink of the Christmas season with colonial roots, served in December alongside sweets and pan de jamón.

Did You Know?

The preparation of chicha varies across Venezuela’s regions, but the rice and milk base is common to all of them.

Recommended

• Venezuelan Christmas Pernil
• Venezuelan Pumpkin Cake
• Venezuelan Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
• Chilean Chupón Chicha