Bollo limpio

Soak the maize Rinse the cracked maize and place it in a large bowl. Cover with 2.5 L fresh water, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Drain well and discard the soaking water. Chilling during the long soak keeps the grain at a safe temperature.

Grind and sift Grind the softened maize in batches using a grain mill or a sturdy grinder. Add only a little fresh water when needed to keep the mill moving; the dough should be damp and cohesive, not pourable. Pass it through a coarse sieve to remove loose bran. A finer sieve is unnecessary: the goal is to remove the roughest husk while keeping the dough’s body.

Season and knead the dough Add 5 g salt and knead until evenly distributed. For the optional variation, grind in the costeño cheese and anise now. The dough should hold together when pressed. If it cracks at the edges, knead in fresh water a teaspoon at a time; if it feels sticky or loose, let it stand for 5 minutes before shaping.

Prepare the leaves and shape Rinse the bijao leaves or corn husks carefully. Briefly blanch them in hot water until flexible, then drain and cool until comfortable to handle. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Shape each into a compact log about 10–12 cm long and 4–5 cm thick, pressing out large air pockets so the centre cooks evenly.

Wrap and tie Place each log across one leaf or husk and cover with another, overlapping the edges to make a snug parcel. Fold the ends inward, then tie with food-safe twine. The packet should be secure but not crushed. Use an extra leaf where the wrapper is torn or too small; the 25 leaves allow a few spares.

Boil the parcels Bring a large pot of water to a full boil and salt it lightly. Lower in the wrapped bollos, keeping them submerged with a heat-safe plate if needed. Return the water to a steady boil and cook for 35–40 minutes. Begin checking at 30 minutes because parcel size and maize grind can change the cooking time. Add boiling water if the level drops; keep the parcels covered by water.

Check, rest and serve Lift out one parcel with tongs and let it drain briefly. Carefully open a small end: the maize should be uniformly firm and cooked through, with no wet, chalky or raw-tasting centre. If needed, rewrap it and boil the batch for another 5–10 minutes before checking again. Drain the bollos and rest for 5 minutes, then serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow covered container within 2 hours; reheat until steaming hot throughout and at least 73.9°C.