Humitas — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Sweet and savory steamed bundles of fresh ground corn mixed with cheese, wrapped in corn husks — a delicate Andean treat that celebrates the corn harvest.

Ingredients

8 ears fresh corn (with husks)
200g queso fresco, crumbled
2 eggs
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
Corn husks for wrapping

Instructions

1 Carefully remove corn husks intact and set aside. Cut kernels from cobs.
2 Grind corn kernels in a food processor until you have a thick, slightly chunky paste.
3 Mix ground corn with eggs, melted butter, cheese, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
4 Place 2-3 tbsp of mixture on a corn husk. Fold into a rectangular packet and tie with a strip of husk.
5 Steam humitas for 40-45 min until firm and the husk pulls away cleanly.
6 Serve warm, unwrapping at the table. Pair with coffee or hot chocolate.

Did You Know?

Humitas are only made during corn harvest season (February-April) — making them out of season with dried corn is considered a culinary offense.