Overview

Horchata Lojana

Name: Horchata Lojana
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Ecuador
Ingredients: 2 L (8 1/2 cups) Water; 15g (1/2 oz) Dried horchata lojana herb mix; 60g (2 oz), grated Panela (unrefined cane sugar); 30ml (2 tbsp), 1 lime Lime juice; 4 sprigs Fresh cedrón (lemon verbena) sprigs; As needed, for the iced serving Ice cubes

Horchata de Loja, Lojan Herbal Tea, Horchata Tea of Loja

This horchata lojana recipe makes Loja's herbal tea — dried escancel, cedrón, lemongrass, mint and chamomile steeped in hot water, sweetened with panela and brightened with lime. One glass is about 520 g, served hot or over ice.

Horchata lojana is the herbal tea of Loja province in southern Ecuador, brewed from bunches of fresh medicinal and aromatic plants — tongos — sold in the local markets. Botanists have counted more than 70 plant species used across its mixtures, with a core group of about 16, including escancel, which gives the drink its colour, and cedrón, lemongrass and mint, which give it its scent. The drink is sold hot on street corners in the morning and drunk cold with meals, and researchers describe it as a heritage drink of Loja province. This version uses a dried herb mix, the way the tea is brewed at home outside Loja, with panela and lime.

Pairs well with: Fresh fruit or bizcochos on the side; serve it iced with lunch or hot in the morning.

Provenance

Ecuador

Loja Heritage

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

20m

5m prep • 15m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

60 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 520 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (One Pot)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Ideal Light Bite

Occasions: Morning drink, with lunch, iced refreshment, family gathering Cost: Low — about $1 per serving at home

Tags: Sweet Vegetarian Vegan Gluten-free Dairy-free

A glass of amber horchata lojana beside a fresh sprig of cedrón on a white background

Loja Heritage

Photo: SimonLuzuriaga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Water 2 L (8 1/2 cups)

For brewing the tea. Substitute: None.

How to choose: Plain cold tap water.

How to prepare: Measured into a large pot.

Required
Dried horchata lojana herb mix 15g (1/2 oz)

Dried escancel, cedrón, lemongrass, mint, chamomile and flowers; strained out after brewing, nutrition negligible, not counted in the totals. Substitute: 60 g fresh mixed horchata herbs (a market tongo).

How to choose: A fragrant dried mix, with red escancel leaves in it.

How to prepare: Measured; kept dry until the water boils.

Required
Panela (unrefined cane sugar) 60g (2 oz), grated

Grated, so it dissolves fast; counted as granulated sugar. Substitute: 60 g light brown sugar.

How to choose: A firm block of panela with a clean, molasses scent.

How to prepare: Grated or chopped fine.

Required
Lime juice 30ml (2 tbsp), 1 lime

Freshly squeezed, stirred in last. Substitute: Lemon juice.

How to choose: A heavy lime with thin skin.

How to prepare: Squeezed and strained of pips.

Required
Fresh cedrón (lemon verbena) sprigs 4 sprigs

For garnish; not counted. Substitute: Fresh mint sprigs.

How to choose: Bright green sprigs with no yellowing.

How to prepare: Rinsed and patted dry.

Optional
Ice cubes As needed, for the iced serving

Only for the iced serving. Substitute: None.

How to choose: Clean, fresh ice.

How to prepare: Kept frozen until serving.

Optional

Estimated cost: Low — about $1 per serving at home (USD)

Loja's herbal tea: Andean herbs and flowers steeped, sweetened with panela and finished with lime.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 20m

Prep Stage: Herbs, Panela and Lime

5 Mins • Prep

Measure the water into a large pot. Weigh out the dried herb mix and grate the panela. Squeeze the lime and rinse the cedrón sprigs for garnish.

Maestro Tip: Grate the panela fine — a whole block takes ages to dissolve in the hot tea.

1
Boil the Water

5 Mins Boiling, 100°C (212°F)

Put the 2 litres of water in a large pot and bring it to a full, rolling boil.

Use a pot with room to spare — the herb mix foams a little when it first goes in.

Done when: A full, rolling boil with big bubbles all over the surface.
2
Steep the Herbs

10 Mins Off the heat, about 95°C (200°F)

Take the pot off the heat, stir in the dried herb mix and the grated panela, and stir until the panela dissolves. Cover and leave to steep for 10 minutes.

Do not boil the herbs — a gentle steep keeps the tea clear and fragrant instead of bitter.

Done when: A clear amber tea, blushing pink-red when the mix is rich in escancel, with the panela fully dissolved.
3
Strain the Tea

3 Mins Room temperature

Pour the tea through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing the herbs gently with a spoon to get the last of the liquid out, then discard the spent herbs.

Press gently — squeezing hard clouds the tea.

Done when: A clear tea in the jug, with no leaves or flowers left in it.
4
Brighten with Lime

2 Mins Room temperature

Stir in the lime juice and taste. Add a little more panela if you like it sweeter, or a little more lime if you like it sharper.

The lime goes in last — stirred in while the tea is boiling, it dulls the colour.

Done when: A bright, floral tea with a fresh lime edge.
5
Serve Hot or Iced

2 Mins Serving temperature, hot about 70°C (158°F) or iced

Pour into glasses. For the hot serving, pour it straight from the jug. For the iced serving, fill the glasses with ice first, then pour the tea over it and tuck a cedrón sprig beside each glass.

Chill the jug in the fridge for an hour if you are serving it iced — warm tea melts the ice and turns watery.

Done when: Four glasses of clear amber tea, hot or iced, with a cedrón sprig beside each one.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Drink it hot in the morning or pour it over ice with lunch — the lime goes in last, so the tea keeps its colour and fresh edge.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

kcal / serving

Protein

Complete AA

Carbs

16g

Complex

Fats

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 520 g)
Energy	60 kcal
Protein	0 g
Carbohydrates	16 g
Fat	0 g
Fibre	0.0 g
Sugar	15.1 g
Sodium	0 mg

Per 100g
Energy	12 kcal
Protein	0 g
Carbohydrates	3 g
Fat	0 g
Fibre	0 g
Sugar	2.9 g
Sodium	0 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: The herbs add only traces of vitamins to an infusion; the lime adds a little vitamin C, and the drink is mostly water with the panela's quick carbohydrate.

Light and Caffeine-Free

About 60 kcal a glass with no caffeine — a gentle drink for any time of day.

Mostly Water, Simply Made

Two litres of water, a spoonful of herbs and a little panela — nothing else goes into the jug.

A Taste of Loja's Herb Gardens

Escancel, cedrón, lemongrass, mint and chamomile give the tea its floral scent and amber colour.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Bizcochos de Cayambe

Crisp, salty bizcochos with queso de hoja are the classic partner — the salty biscuit loves the sweet tea.

More Pairings

Fresh Fruit

Sliced papaya, pineapple or strawberries keep the serving light and echo the tea's floral notes.

Cheese Empanada

A warm cheese empanada with a glass of iced horchata is the afternoon snack Loja reaches for.

Full Menus

Loja Breakfast

Serve hot in the morning with fresh fruit and bizcochos, the way Loja starts the day.

Drinks

Iced with Lunch

Poured over ice, the tea cools a rich lunch of grilled meat and mote without adding heaviness.

Complete menu

Serve iced with a Loja lunch of mote, grilled meat and salad, or hot in the morning with fresh fruit and bizcochos.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Do Not Boil the Herbs

Boiling the herb mix makes the tea bitter and cloudy — take the pot off the heat first, then steep. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Do Not Add the Lime While Boiling

Lime juice stirred into boiling tea dulls the colour and flattens the fresh flavour — add it after straining. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Do Not Leave the Tea Unstrained

Herbs left in the jug keep steeping and turn the tea bitter — strain it as soon as the 10 minutes are up. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

General adultsA light, caffeine-free drink — one glass each, hot or iced.
ChildrenA caffeine-free herbal drink children enjoy iced; keep the sugar modest and the lime light.
ElderlyA gentle, caffeine-free drink, hot or iced; drink it warm rather than very hot.
Pregnant womenA herbal infusion — herb mixes vary, so keep to one glass and ask your clinician about herbal drinks in pregnancy.
Breastfeeding womenA light, caffeine-free drink; keep to one glass and ask your clinician about herbal drinks while breastfeeding.
AthletesA light drink for hydration between training sessions, not a recovery drink — pair it with food for energy.
Weight gainAt about 60 kcal a glass, it adds a little energy without heaviness.
Weight lossAt about 60 kcal a glass, it fits a lighter day; for an unsweetened version, leave out the panela entirely.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

DiabetesAbout 15.1 g of sugar per glass, all from the panela. Keep to one small glass, or leave the panela out. Ask your clinician about portion size.
High blood pressureAbout 0 mg of sodium per glass. A salt-free drink that suits a low-sodium day. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Kidney diseaseMostly water, so count the glass in your daily fluid intake. Ask your clinician about portion size.
GoutNo purine-rich ingredients; a plain herbal drink. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Stomach issuesA mild herbal tea that suits most stomachs; if it feels too sharp, use less lime and drink it warm, not hot. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Cardiovascular diseaseCaffeine-free, fat-free and salt-free; a gentle drink with a little sugar. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Fatty liverThe sugar is the only concern — keep to one small glass, or brew it without panela. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Food allergiesContains no common allergen as written, but dried herb mixes vary — check the mix for the plants it contains. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Special therapeutic dietsA plain herbal infusion; the unsweetened version, without panela, suits most therapeutic diets. Ask your clinician about portion size.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

How to store: Cool and store in a covered jug in the fridge.
In the fridge: 3 days in a covered jug; stir before serving.
In the freezer: Up to 1 month as ice cubes in a sealed bag.
How to reheat: Warm gently on the stove until hot; do not boil, or the tea turns bitter.
Freezing recommended: Yes, as ice cubes for iced horchata.
Signs it has spoiled: Cloudy, sour smell, or a film on the surface.

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