Best Humitas South American Tamales Recipes

ANDEAN HUMITA EN CHALA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft (do not let it brown), about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Cut around base of each ear of corn and gently remove husks whole. Reserve husks. Brush silk off ears.
• Grate kernels off corncobs into medium bowl, or slice off and pulse in processor to rough purée. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in cooked onions, milk, and red pepper flakes. Chill mixture until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350° F. To assemble 1 humita, choose a thinner, more flexible inner husk and tie thin end into knot. Split up to knot and set aside to use as tie. Lay 2 of widest husks side by side (narrow ends at top and bottom), overlapping a few inches to form rectangle. Spoon 1/4 cup filling into center, then fold sides over to cover filling. Fold in top and bottom to make enclosed rectangular package. Tie crosswise with knotted husk. Repeat with remaining filling and husks. Place finished humitas on baking sheet and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.

HUMITAS - SOUTH AMERICAN CORN PUDDING

Steps:

• Thaw corn and place in food processor.
• Puree corn, milk, eggs, sugar, salt, pepper and chilies.
• Saute onion in butter until soft.
• Add squash and bell pepper.
• Cook over low heat stirring frequently for 20 minutes until squash is cooked.
• Add corn mixture and continue to cook until it thickens slightly about 5 minutes.
• Add cheese, remove from heat and serve.

SOUTH AMERICAN CORN PACKETS

Steps:

• Carefully shuck corn, individual husk by husk, keeping husks as intact as possible and cutting stem as necessary to release. Reserve husks. (You will need 20 to 25 of the widest husks for making humitas, and about 12 more for making ribbons and lining steamer.) Remove and discard silk. Stand a box grater in a pie plate or wide bowl and, using largest holes, grate enough corn from cobs to measure 2 cups, including liquid. Reserve cobs for steaming humitas.
• Submerge husks in a wide 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water using tongs, then turn off heat, leaving husks in water until ready to use.
• Mince white and pale green parts of scallions and separately mince 2 tablespoons of scallion greens.
• Heat butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté bell pepper, chile, and white and pale green parts of scallions, stirring with a wooden spatula, until softened and pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt, cinnamon, and grated corn (including liquid) and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Whisk together milk and eggs in a small bowl, then stir into corn mixture and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to hold its shape and resembles very loose scrambled eggs, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool to room temperature. Stir in scallion greens.
• Make about 25 ribbons from narrowest husks by tearing husks lengthwise into long 1/2-inch-wide strips.
• Pat 4 or 5 husks dry and arrange, cupped sides up, on a kitchen towel with wider ends of husks nearest you. Put about 2 tablespoons of corn filling in middle of 1 husk. Fold sides over filling to enclose, then fold bottom end up over filling and fold narrower top end down over bottom (narrow end may reach around to back of package). Tie package closed with a corn husk ribbon. Repeat with remaining husks (4 or 5 at a time), filling, and ribbons.
• Lay reserved cobs in horizontal layers in bottom of a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot (do not pack tightly), cutting some in half if necessary to make an even shelf on which to steam humitas. Add enough water to almost cover cobs, then arrange some of remaining husks in a layer over cobs. Stand humitas upright on husks and cover with another layer of husks. Bring water to a boil, then cover pot and steam humitas, adding more water if necessary, until filling is firm and separates easily from husk when opened (test one), about 40 minutes.