spris (ethiopian fruit drink)

Recipe by
Vickie Parks
Renton, WA

When it comes to fruit drinks, most cuisines lean toward either sweet or salty. But in Ethiopia, they have the best of both flavor sensations in a layered fruit drink called Spris (Pronounced "spreece"). It consists of a creamy avocado base layer followed by a layer (or more) of finely pureed fruit. Spris are primarily deli fare in larger cities, but you can find them in some rural area delis. You can replace the papaya/mango blend with any fruit of your choice. Papaya, mango, papaya/mango blend, and pineapple are the most popular flavors. Grab a straw and spoon, and enjoy your Spris!

yield 3 to 4
prep time 15 Min
method Blend

Ingredients For spris (ethiopian fruit drink)

  • 2 to 3 md
    avocados, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup
    water (amount is approximate)
  • 1 md
    lime, halved
  • 1 md
    papaya
  • 1 lg
    mango
  • 1 Tbsp
    honey (optional - for sweetening)
  • 1 md
    lime, cut into 4 slices (for garnish - optional)

How To Make spris (ethiopian fruit drink)

  • 1
    In a blender, add avocados, 1/4 cup of water and juice from 1/2 of a lime. Puree for about 10 to 15 seconds, adding more water, about 1/8 cup at a time, until it reaches the consistency of thick cake batter. Pour into 3 or 4 glasses.
  • 2
    Rinse blender. Add papaya and mango, and puree until smooth and no chunks remain. Add honey, if desired, for a sweeter fruit layer. Carefully layer pureed fruit over the creamy avocado layer. If you have multiple fruit layers, make sure the more dense fruit is poured in first (directly over the avocado layer). Then follow with the less dense pureed fruits. Otherwise, it won't layer properly.
  • 3
    Using the remaing lime half, squeeze a bit of lime juice over the top of each serving. Add a long parfait spoon and straw, garnish each serving with a slice of lime, and serve immediately.

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