Humita en Chala (Humita en Chala)

Humitas are one of the oldest prepared foods of the Andes — a pre-Columbian tradition of grinding fresh corn into a masa, seasoning it with onion, cheese, and chilli, wrapping it in dried corn husks, and steaming until tender. Unlike their Mexican cousin the tamal, humitas are made with fresh (not dried) corn and have a sweeter, more delicate flavour. They are eaten throughout Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador as breakfast, a snack, or a light lunch.

Serves: 4 (makes 8 humitas)

Ingredients

• 6 large ears of fresh sweet corn, husks carefully removed and reserved intact
• 1 medium white onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil
• 1 ají amarillo (or ½ tsp ají amarillo paste), finely chopped
• 150g (5½ oz) queso fresco or mild feta, crumbled
• 1 tsp fine salt
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh basil or huacatay (Peruvian black mint), finely chopped

Instructions

1. Soak corn husks in warm water for 20 minutes to make them pliable. Pat dry.
2. Slice the kernels from the cobs. Working in batches, blend or process the kernels to a coarse, slightly chunky paste — not completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Warm oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the ají amarillo and cumin, cook 1 minute more. Stir the onion mixture into the corn paste along with the salt and fresh herbs.
4. Lay two corn husks side by side, slightly overlapping. Place 3–4 tablespoons of corn paste in the centre, press a tablespoon of crumbled cheese into the middle, then fold more paste over to cover. Fold the husks up and over to enclose the filling, then tie the parcel with a thin strip of husk or kitchen twine. Repeat for all humitas.
5. Arrange humitas upright in a steamer basket. Steam over boiling water for 35–40 minutes until the masa has firmed and pulls cleanly from the husk.
6. Serve hot in their husks, unwrapped at the table.

Cook's Notes: The fresher and sweeter the corn, the better the humita — this dish should be made in summer corn season. Humitas can be refrigerated cooked for 2 days and resteamed for 10 minutes. For a sweet version common in northern Peru, replace onion, cheese, and ají with sugar, cinnamon, and raisins.