Hola Hola Hola!
We are just 3 days away from Christmas, or 2 if you start your celebrations on Noche Buena!
This year, I decided to take the Holidays off. My partner and I bought our first house together over the Summer, so aside from wrapping up my first cookbook (which comes out in less than six months!!!!!!!) we’ve spent the past few months unpacking, organizing and fixing things around the house and are in dire need of some time to relax.
I’ll be making a small batch of tamales (rajas con queso and pork in a red chile sauce) and champurrado for the two of us, along with ponche. If you’ve never had ponche before, it’s essentially a hot hibiscus and tamarind tea with various warm spices that is served with fruit like guavas, sliced apple, and tejocotes sweetened with piloncillo. It’s tangy, it’s sweet, and it is a great way to stay warm and cozy during the Holidays, and adding a shot or two of tequila only makes it even more perfect. If you don’t follow me on Instagram yet, join me here, I’ll be posting a little ponche tutorial later today so you can follow along at home! If there’s a certain fruit included in the recipe that you don’t like, feel free to substitute with your favorites!
I hope you’re all able to take some time off to this week to enjoy the Holidays with your loved ones. I have a few recipes left to share before the year is over, but for now, nos vemos pronto!
If you still haven’t solidified your menu for Christmas Eve or Christmas, I’m including some recipe suggestions below:
Polvorones Rosas (Mexican Pink Sugar Cookies)
Marranitos (Soft Mexican Gingerbread Pig Cookies)
Pozole Rojo de Pollo (Red Chicken Pozole)
Rajas con Mac and Cheese (Poblano Mac and Cheese)
Find the recipe in my new cookbook Chicano Bakes!
Ponche Navideño
Ingredients
- 12 Cups Water
- 6 Pods Tamarind (4.5 oz) shelled and veins removed
- 2/3 Cup Dried Hibiscus
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks broken in half
- 10 oz Piloncillo (or substitute with 1 ¼ cup of brown sugar)
- 8 oz Sugar Cane cut into 2-3 inch rectangles
- 1 Cup Ripe Tejocotes sliced in half
- 6 Yellow Guavas (About the size of a regular lime) quartered
- 1 Green Apple halved and sliced thinly into half moons
- ½ Cup Prunes pitted and roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, add the water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add the tamarind, hibiscus, and cinnamon sticks then lower the flame to medium low and place the lid on. Let this mixture cook for 12 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to remove the cinnamon sticks, and hibiscus flowers then discard. (This is optional, but I also like to remove the tamarind pods and push them through a strainer so the rest of the pulp goes back into the pot and leaves the seeds out.)
- Once the tea is done, add the piloncillo (or brown sugar), followed by the sugar cane, tejocotes, guavas, green apple, and prunes. Place the lid back on and cook for 25-30 minutes stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened. Taste for sweetness and adjust. Use a ladle to pour the ponche into mugs, then serve warm with your favorite pan dulce. (Serve with 2 ounces of your favorite tequila for a more adult experience)
7 Comments
Charlie
December 23, 2019 at 11:46 amThis is great stuff. Indeed a bit of tequila makes it even greater! Thanks for the process.
Esteban
December 25, 2019 at 11:31 amThanks Charlie! Have a great Christmas! 🙂
nmharleyrider
December 23, 2019 at 2:28 pmLove your site. Have made numerous recipes from your blog. I make my pozole rojo with pork and will use that with your recipe for Christmas eve. I use chicken or beef for my chile verde pozole.
Merry Christmas
Don
Esteban
December 23, 2019 at 3:51 pmHi Don, that makes me really happy to hear, I really appreciate you incorporating my recipes into your festivities!
I think you’re going to enjoy my cookbook once it’s out later this year! 😀
Have a great Christmas!
Esteban
Alicia
December 23, 2019 at 5:14 pmAaaaah I can’t wait for your cook book!!!!!👌🏽🙌🏽👍🏽👏🏽 Y como dicen por ahi, “Te tengo envidia pero de la buena.”😅 I’ve been following you for awhile and love the fact that your recipes are authentic. From one Mexican to another I’m proud of how you represent la cultura.🇲🇽👌🏽
Esteban
December 23, 2019 at 5:24 pmHahaha Muchas gracias Alicia!! I’m so excited for the publisher to be done laying it out, it already looks sooo good!
Te mando un abrazote, thanks so much for supporting my work! 🙂
Africart
May 25, 2020 at 3:34 pmThis is a nice recipe. Made it with a hint of silver patron mind blown!.