Difference between revisions of "Humitas (Sweetcorn tamales)"

Revision as of 18:48, 12 April 2010

Humitas (Sweetcorn tamales)

Humitas (Sweetcorn tamales) - about this recipe

An unusual tamales recipe from Chiclayo which is the capital city of the Lambayeque region in northern Peru.

Servings

Makes 10

Ingredients

For the corn

• 900 g sweetcorn
• 15 ml corn oil
• 1 teaspoon achiote granules, dissolved in 10 ml hot corn oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of pepper

For the humitas

• 20 corn husks
• 1 dried yellow ají pepper, re-hydrated in hot water and sliced into 10 pieces
• 10 black olives, cut in half
• 1 small onion, finely sliced
• ¼ teaspoons achiote granules, dissolved in 5 ml hot corn oil
• Pinch of salt
• 450 g skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into ten pieces
• 2 Eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and cut into 10 slices each
• Nylon thread or raffia

Method

For the corn:

1. Blend the sweetcorn into a rough mash.
2. Place in a bowl and mix in the remaining corn ingredients.
3. Leave for at least 30 minutes to thicken.

For the humitas:

1. Take 2 corn husks and lay them so that half of one lies on the half of the other.
2. Place 2 good tablespoons of the corn mixture in the centre of the husks.
3. To a small frying pan, on a low heat, add the ají, olives, onion, achiote oil and salt.
4. Fry, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
6. For each humita, make a dent in the centre of the corn mix and add 1 chicken piece and one slice of egg.
7. From the fried mixture, add a slice of ají, 2 olive halves and a few onion slices.
8. Put a further 2 tablespoons of the corn mixture on the top and press the whole thing into a rectangle.
9. Fold one corn husk over the mixture and the other husk over that.
10. Tie one of the open ends with the nylon thread or raffia, about 5 cm from the end.
11. Do the same with the other end and wrap the humita lengthwise with the thread.
12. When all of the humitas have been made, place them in a wide pan (or two separate ones) so that they all lie on the base of the pan.
13. Add enough hot water to just cover the humitas, cover, and boil for 20 minutes.
14. Unfold the humitas and serve warm.

Chef's notes

Corn husks can be obtained from Cool Chile Co and yellow (amarillo) ají chillies are sold by The South Devon Chilli Farm