Icy Champús Valluno With Lulo, Pineapple, and Maize

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Authentic Valle del Cauca flavor: fruity-tart lulo, juicy pineapple, and warm spices in a glossy panela base.
• Refreshing yet spoonable: it drinks like a beverage and eats like a light dessert.
• Make-ahead friendly: build the syrup and cook the maize in advance for stress-free serving.
• Scalable for gatherings: simple to double for parties and holidays.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 medium pineapple, 6–8 fresh lulos (or frozen lulo pulp), 6 fresh orange leaves (or 1 orange for peel)
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Dried white hominy (or canned hominy), panela, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, fine salt, ice

Full Ingredients

Maize (Hominy)

• Option A (from dried): 1 cup dried white hominy/maíz peto (180–200 g), soaked in plenty of water 8–12 hours, then cooked to yield 2 cups cooked
• Option B (quick): 2 x 15 oz (425 g) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups; use 2 cups in the drink and save the rest for another use)

Spiced Panela Syrup

• 300 g panela (about 1 1/2 cups grated or chopped)
• 3 cups water (720 ml)
• Peel from 1 medium ripe pineapple (well-scrubbed)
• 2 cinnamon sticks (8–10 cm each)
• 8 whole cloves
• 6 fresh orange leaves, lightly bruised (or 2 wide strips fresh orange peel, 2.5 x 8 cm)

Fruit and Finish

• 1 medium ripe pineapple, flesh diced 1/2-inch (2 cups; reserve peel for syrup above)
• 1 cup lulo (naranjilla) pulp (from 6–8 fresh lulos or 2 x 250 g frozen unsweetened packs)
• 1 cup cold water to blend with lulo
• 3 cups cold water, to dilute after straining syrup
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 2 cups crushed ice (more for serving)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Soak and cook the maize

If using dried hominy, rinse well, then soak 1 cup dried kernels in plenty of water for 8–12 hours. Drain, cover with fresh water by 5 cm, and simmer gently 75–90 minutes until plump and tender but not mushy. Drain and cool. If using canned hominy, simply drain and rinse; measure 2 cups for the recipe.

Step 2: Brew the panela syrup with pineapple peel and spices

Scrub the pineapple thoroughly; peel in wide strips and reserve the peel. In a medium pot, combine 300 g panela with 3 cups water, the pineapple peel, 2 cinnamon sticks, 8 cloves, and 6 lightly bruised orange leaves (or orange peel). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a lively simmer and cook 25 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes for maximum aroma. Strain through a fine sieve; discard solids.

Step 3: Prep and juice the fruit

Dice the pineapple flesh into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups). For the lulo, scoop the pulp from fresh fruits or thaw frozen pulp. Blend the lulo with 1 cup cold water for 15–20 seconds, just to loosen. Strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds, pressing gently to extract the bright green-orange juice.

Step 4: Chill the base for clean, bright flavor

Stir 3 cups cold water into the strained syrup. Refrigerate 1 hour, or chill rapidly by setting the pot in an ice bath for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cooler the base, the fresher the fruit flavors will taste.

Step 5: Assemble the champús

In a large glass pitcher or punch bowl, combine the chilled spiced syrup, 2 cups cooked hominy, the 2 cups diced pineapple, strained lulo juice, and 1/8 tsp fine salt. Add 2 cups crushed ice and stir well. Taste: if you prefer sweeter, dissolve a bit more panela in a splash of hot water and stir in; if too sweet, add a little cold water or extra lulo.

Step 6: Serve icy cold, spoonable and fragrant

Ladle into chilled glasses or small bowls. Add extra crushed ice if you like it frosty. Garnish with a small orange leaf or a thin pineapple wedge. Serve with spoons so everyone can enjoy the juicy fruit and tender maize kernels.

Pro Tips

• Use the pineapple peel: it perfumes the panela syrup without making the chunks mushy.
• Do not boil the diced pineapple or lulo pulp; keeping them fresh preserves the bright, tart flavors.
• Orange leaves are traditional—use unsprayed, edible leaves only. If unavailable, substitute wide strips of fresh orange peel.
• A tiny pinch of salt amplifies fruitiness without tasting salty.
• For crowd service, keep the pitcher over an ice bath so the drink stays crisp and cold.

Variations

• Passionfruit twist: Stir in 1/2 cup strained passionfruit pulp (maracuyá) for extra tropical aroma.
• Coconut finish: Add 1/2 cup finely shredded fresh coconut right before serving for festive texture.
• Feijoa or guava swap: Replace half the pineapple with diced feijoa or ripe guava for a different Colombian accent.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Panela syrup (with spices) keeps 1 week refrigerated. Cooked hominy holds 3–4 days chilled. Lulo pulp can be frozen up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge. Once assembled, champús is best within 24 hours; stir before serving as the solids settle. Avoid freezing the assembled drink (the fruit and maize become mealy).

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1 cup: 150 calories; 0.5 g fat; 36 g carbs; 1 g protein; 2 g fiber; 28 g sugars; 35 mg sodium.