Humitas or steamed fresh corn cakes {My mom's recipe}
User Reviews
4.9
-
Cuisine
South American, Ecuadorian
Humitas or steamed fresh corn cakes {My mom's recipe}
Description
This version of humitas starts by peeling fresh corn ears and softening corn husks by briefly boiling them. Corn kernels are cut from the cobs and processed with grated mozzarella or fresh farmer’s cheese, diced onions, crushed garlic, ground coriander, cornmeal, heavy cream, eggs, and salt to form a thick batter. The batter is spooned into the prepared husks, which are then folded and tied with husk strips. The cakes are steamed over simmering water until set.
The final humitas have a soft, slightly dense texture that balances the natural sweetness of fresh corn with savory notes from cheese and onions. Steaming allows gentle cooking that preserves moisture and the fresh taste of ingredients. The wrapping method keeps the cakes compact and imparts a subtle corn husk aroma.
Humitas are commonly served warm with hot sauce, such as tree tomato-based aji de tomate de arbol, providing a spicy and tangy complement to the mild cakes. The recipe also includes a more advanced variation that incorporates separated egg whites for a lighter texture, plus butter, baking powder, and sugar for subtle richness and rise.
The recipe’s use of fresh corn, traditional husk wrapping, and steaming gives humitas a distinctive homemade quality tied to their cultural origins.
Ingredients
- 6-7 corn with husks, fresh ears
- 3 cups cheese mozzarella or a fresh farmers cheese, grated or crumbled
- 1 cup diced white onions about ½ large onion
- 1 tsp ground coriander optional
- 2 garlic crushed, cloves
- cornmeal about 1 cup
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 egg
- 1 tsp salt
To serve:
- hot sauce Aji de tomate de arbol or tree tomato
Instructions
- Remove the husks from the corn; try to keep each husk intact, the large ones will be used as wrappers for the humitas and the smaller ones will be broken into long strips to tie around the humitas.
- To help make the corn husks more pliable place them in a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes, then drain the water and save the husks until ready to use.
- Remove the silky hairs from the corn and use a knife to cut the corn kernels from the cob, if you don’t have a steamer save the cobs to use as a steamer.
- Place the corn kernels, 1 cup of cheese, diced onions, crushed garlic, ground coriander, corn meal, cream, eggs, and salt in the food processor, mix until the corn is pureed.
- In large deep pot place about 2 ½ cups of water and a steamer, the water should be just below the steamer, if you don’t have a steamer arrange the cobs on the bottom of the pan instead and cover them with some of the leftover husks.
- To fill each humita (see detailed instructions on filling above as well as pictures), use 2 of the large corn husks per humita, place them on top of each other, fold the left side of the husks, then fold the top half over the bottom half, this creates a semi-pocket, fill it with a spoonful of the mixture (how much mixture will depend on the size of the husks, the larger the husks the more filling you can add) and stuff some of theremaining cheese in the middle, now fold over the right side of the husk and tighten it up a little bit, use the thin strips to tie around the wrapper and keep it closed.
- Place the humitas in the pot on top of the steamer, I like to keep them slightly inclined with the open end on top. Place any leftover husks on top and cover well.
- Place the pot on the stove over high heat until you hear the water boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 35-40 minutes, the cooked humitas will be slightly firm to firm when they are done.
- Serve warm with aji de tomate de arbol or tree tomato hot sauce.
Notes
- Fresh corn husks should be softened by boiling briefly to prevent tearing during wrapping.
- Steaming time depends on cake size; cook until humitas are firm to the touch and cooked through.
- The optional version includes separated egg whites beaten and folded in for lighter texture.
- Serve humitas warm with a spicy tomato-based hot sauce to balance the mild corn and cheese flavors.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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