Canjica com Coco

Canjica — also known as mungunzá in the Northeast — is one of the great communal desserts of the Brazilian Festa Junina (June Festival), the country's largest rural folk celebration. Dried white hominy corn is slow-cooked for hours in coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole spices until the kernels soften and swell into a fragrant, creamy porridge. It is served warm in cups to hundreds of people at street parties and is an emblematic potluck dish of Brazilian culture.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) dried white hominy corn (canjica/mote), soaked overnight in cold water
• 400ml (14 fl oz) coconut milk
• 395g (14 oz) tin sweetened condensed milk
• 500ml (2 cups) whole milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 star anise
• 100g (3.5 oz) desiccated coconut (unsweetened), lightly toasted
• 1 tsp salt
• Ground cinnamon and desiccated coconut, to garnish

Instructions

1. Drain soaked hominy corn thoroughly. Place in a slow cooker or large heavy pot.

2. Add coconut milk, whole milk, cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise. For slow cooker: cook on HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 7-8 hours until kernels are fully tender and splitting. For stovetop: simmer covered over low heat 2-2.5 hours, stirring every 20 minutes and adding water as needed.

3. Once corn is tender, stir in sweetened condensed milk and salt. Cook a further 20-30 minutes uncovered until the mixture thickens to a porridge consistency that coats a spoon.

4. Remove whole spices. Stir in toasted desiccated coconut.

5. Serve warm in small cups or bowls, dusted with ground cinnamon and a pinch of extra desiccated coconut.

Cook's Notes: The corn must be soaked overnight — without soaking, it will take 4+ hours on the stovetop. Canjica thickens dramatically as it cools; if reheating, add coconut milk or regular milk and stir well over low heat. It keeps refrigerated for 3 days and reheats beautifully.