Humita en Chala — Print Recipe

A fresh corn preparation where grated corn is mixed with sauteed onions, spices, and sometimes cheese, then wrapped in corn husks and boiled or steamed until set.

Ingredients

8 large ears of fresh corn with husks
1 large onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
100g fresh cheese, cubed (optional)
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Instructions

1 Carefully remove the corn husks, keeping them intact for wrapping. Set the husks aside in warm water to soften. Grate the corn kernels on the coarse side of a box grater to produce a thick, pulpy mixture.
2 Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Saute the diced onion until translucent. Add paprika and cumin, stirring for one minute. Mix this into the grated corn along with salt and pepper.
3 Take two softened corn husks and overlap them to create a wider wrapper. Place a generous spoonful of the corn mixture in the center, adding a cube of cheese if desired.
4 Fold the husks over the filling to create a neat packet, tying the ends with thin strips of corn husk or kitchen twine.
5 Place the wrapped humitas in a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook for forty to forty-five minutes until the filling is set and firm. Serve hot, letting each person unwrap their own humita at the table.

Did You Know?

The word humita comes from the Quechua word humint'a. Unlike Mexican tamales, Argentine humitas use fresh corn rather than dried masa, and the filling is the corn itself rather than corn being just the wrapper.