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Overview

Somó

Somó de Maíz, Bolivian Corn Refresher, Jugo de Somó

This Bolivian somó recipe makes Santa Cruz's cold corn refresher: cracked white corn simmered with cinnamon and cloves, thickened with a little corn flour, sweetened and chilled until ice cold, with the tender corn kernels served right in the glass. It comes from Cotoca, outside Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and street vendors ladle it from big jars and pushcarts on hot afternoons. One serving is about 500 g.

Somó comes from Cotoca, a town just outside Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and it is the drink of the hot Bolivian lowlands — vendors ladle it from big jars and pushcarts on street corners, the same carts that sell mocochinchi and chicha. Bolivia's Ministry of Health included it in its 2018 corn cookbook, and a university study of the drink notes the detail that makes it unmistakable: it is the only Bolivian refresher served with the cracked corn still in the glass, not strained out.

Pairs well with: Serve ice cold over ice with the corn kernels in the glass, alongside salteñas or buñuelos

Provenance

Bolivia flag Bolivia

Santa Cruz Heritage

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 5m

15m prep • 50m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

215 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 500 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (Soak and Simmer)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Ideal Light Bite

Occasions: Hot afternoons, street markets, family gatherings, long summer days Cost: Low — about $1 per serving at home
Tags: Sweet Vegetarian Gluten-free Dairy-free
A glass mug of cloudy white somó with cracked corn kernels settled at the bottom, on a kitchen counter

Santa Cruz Heritage

Photo: Ever Lecoña Hilari, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

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

A good somó is cloudy white, sweet and ice cold, with tender corn kernels in every glass — never clear, warm or strained.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 5m
P

Rinse and Soak the Corn

15 Mins

Rinse the 130 g of cracked corn well under cold running water, then put it in a large bowl with plenty of cold water and leave it to soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours, until the kernels have swelled and softened at the edges. The active work takes about 15 minutes; the soak itself is hands-off.

Maestro Tip: Do not skip the soak — unsoaked cracked corn stays hard in the middle no matter how long you simmer it.

  1. 1

    Rinse and Soak Overnight

    8–12 Hrs Room temperature

    Rinse the 130 g of cracked corn well under cold running water to wash off any dust. Put it in a large bowl, pour over plenty of cold water, cover, and leave to soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours, until the kernels have swelled and softened at the edges.

    Use a bowl big enough that the corn stays covered — it swells as it drinks up the water.

    Done when: Kernels swollen and softened at the edges.

  2. 2

    Simmer with Cinnamon and Cloves

    40 Mins Simmering, about 95°C (200°F)

    Drain the corn and put it in a large pot with the 1850 ml of water, the cinnamon stick and the cloves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, until the corn is tender but still holds its shape; stir now and then so it does not catch on the bottom.

    Keep it at a gentle simmer — a hard boil breaks the kernels apart and clouds the drink too much.

    Done when: Corn tender enough to bite through, still holding its shape; liquid cloudy and lightly thickened.

  3. 3

    Thicken with Corn Flour

    10 Mins Simmering, about 95°C (200°F)

    Whisk the 20 g of corn flour into a little cold water until smooth, then stir the slurry into the pot. Simmer for about 10 minutes more, stirring often, until the drink has thickened lightly.

    Slurry first, always — dry flour dumped into the pot makes lumps that never come out.

    Done when: The drink coats the back of a spoon lightly; kernels still distinct.

  4. 4

    Sweeten, Cool and Chill

    2 Hrs Chilled, about 4°C (40°F)

    Stir in the 80 g of sugar until it has dissolved, then taste and add a little more if you like. Take the pot off the heat, lift out the cinnamon stick and the cloves, and leave the drink to cool to room temperature. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight, with the corn still in the liquid.

    Chill it with the corn still in the liquid — the kernels keep soaking up flavour as it cools.

    Done when: Ice cold, sweet, cloudy white, with the kernels resting through the drink.

  5. 5

    Serve Over Ice

    5 Mins Chilled, about 4°C (40°F)

    Stir the jug gently to lift the settled kernels, then ladle the somó into tall glasses, making sure each glass gets a good spoonful of the tender corn. Top with ice cubes and serve at once.

    Serve it as cold as you can — somó is at its best icy, straight from the fridge.

    Done when: Tall glasses of cloudy white somó with kernels in every glass.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Stir the jug before you pour — the kernels settle — and serve each glass ice cold with a spoon, so the corn at the bottom can be eaten like the peach in a mocochinchi.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

215

kcal / serving

Protein

3g

Complete AA

Carbs

50g

Complex

Fats

1g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 500 g)
Energy215 kcal
Protein3 g
Carbohydrates50 g
Fat1 g
Fibre3.2 g
Sugar20.2 g
Sodium32 mg
Per 100g
Energy43 kcal
Protein0.6 g
Carbohydrates9.9 g
Fat0.3 g
Fibre0.6 g
Sugar4 g
Sodium6 mg

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

Vitamins & minerals: B vitamins (thiamin, niacin and folate) and magnesium and phosphorus from the corn, with small amounts of calcium and iron from the cinnamon.

Quick, Gentle Energy

Each 500 g glass gives about 215 kcal, mostly from corn and a little added sugar — a refreshing lift on a hot day, with the kernels to chew.

Corn, Spice and Water — Nothing Else

Cracked corn, corn flour, cinnamon, cloves, sugar and water: no colouring, no preservatives, nothing you cannot pronounce.

Fibre from the Corn

About 3.2 g of fibre a serving comes from the cracked corn and corn flour you drink with the kernels — the corn is part of the refreshment, not a garnish.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

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

Sides

Bolivian Salteñas

The hot, savoury, juicy pastry is the classic partner — the ice-cold corn drink cools the palate between bites, the way market stalls serve them together.

Bolivian Buñuelos

Buñuelos are the sweet fritters sold from the same carts as somó — dunk one in the cold drink and the syrup and the corn kernels meet in the same bite.

More Pairings

Fresh Fruit Salad

Chilled papaya and banana with a glass of somó is the lowland afternoon snack — the fruit is cool and soft, and the drink's cinnamon warms it up just enough.

Full Menus

Santa Cruz Street Snack

A Santa Cruz afternoon in one sitting: a tall glass of somó over ice, a hot salteña, and sliced papaya — cold drink, hot pastry, fresh fruit.

Complete menu

A Santa Cruz afternoon in one sitting: a tall glass of somó over ice, a hot salteña, and sliced papaya — cold drink, hot pastry, fresh fruit.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

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

Too Much Sugar in One Sitting

About 20.2 g of sugar a serving adds up fast if you drink glass after glass. One glass is plenty, and people watching their sugar should take a smaller glass or ask their clinician. This is general information, not medical advice.

It Sours If It Sits Sweetened

Once sweetened, somó does not keep — the corn and sugar start to ferment and the drink turns sour, so sweeten only what you will drink today and keep the rest unsweetened in the fridge. This is general 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 sweet, refreshing cold drink — one 500 g glass is a treat on a hot day, not an everyday thirst-quencher.
  • ChildrenChildren love the sweet corn drink, but it is sweet — serve a small glass, and let them eat the corn kernels with a spoon.
  • ElderlySoft corn kernels and a cold, gentle drink are easy to enjoy — serve it well chilled in a small glass.
  • Pregnant womenA non-alcoholic corn drink with no caffeine, but it is sweet — one small glass and ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Breastfeeding womenA cold, sweet drink between feeds is fine in moderation — keep to one glass and drink water alongside.
  • AthletesAbout 215 kcal with 49.5 g of carbohydrate a serving makes it a quick energy drink after training, but it does not replace water or electrolytes.
  • Weight gainAt about 215 kcal a glass with corn and added sugar, somó is an easy way to add energy to the day.
  • Weight lossA 500 g glass carries about 20.2 g of sugar for 215 kcal, so a half glass, or the drink made with half the sugar, is the lighter choice.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 49.5 g of carbohydrate and 20.2 g of sugar a serving, so a small glass or a version made without the added sugar is far safer; ask your clinician about a suitable serving.
  • High blood pressureSodium is only about 32 mg a serving, so salt is not the issue here — the sugar is. Keep to one small glass and ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Kidney diseaseThe drink is made from corn and water with about 3.2 g of fibre a serving; ask your clinician whether it fits your diet.
  • GoutSugars in large amounts can raise uric acid, so one small glass rather than several is wiser; ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Stomach issuesA sweet, spiced drink can bother a sensitive stomach — drink it cold, in a small glass, with food, and ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseFat is only about 1.4 g a serving, but the sugar is there, so keep the portion small and do not make it a daily habit; ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Fatty liverA sweet drink with about 20.2 g of sugar a serving is best kept as an occasional treat in a small glass; ask your clinician if you are unsure.
  • Food allergiesContains corn. No gluten, egg, milk, peanut, tree nut, fish or shellfish.
  • Special therapeutic dietsThis is a sweet everyday drink, not a therapeutic food; anyone on a special diet should ask their clinician before drinking it.

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

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Keep covered in a jug in the fridge, corn and all, and sweeten only what you will drink today.
In the fridge
Drink the same day if sweetened; unsweetened, up to 2 days in the fridge.
In the freezer
Up to 1 month as a frozen drink base (without the corn kernels); thaw in the fridge and stir well.
How to reheat
Do not reheat — somó is served cold. If it has been out of the fridge, chill it again until ice cold (about 4°C / 40°F).
Freezing recommended
No — it keeps 2 days in the fridge, and freezing hardens the corn kernels.
Signs it has spoiled
A sour or fermented smell, fizzing, or a slimy surface on the corn.

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