Name: Humitas saladas
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 58 min
Total time: 108 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 1000 g fresh choclo kernels — cut from fresh cobs; reserve husks; 300 g pasteurised queso fresco — cut into ten equal 30 g pieces; 90 g red onion — finely chopped; 12 g garlic — minced; 35 g ají amarillo paste; 70 g unsalted butter; 120 ml evaporated milk — unsweetened; 6 g fine salt; 1 g ground black pepper; 10 whole fresh corn husk pairs — two wide soft husks per humita; 20 usable husks total; 3 m plain food-safe cotton twine — for tying ten wraps; 1300 ml water — for steaming, below the rack

Humitas saladas — savoury choclo parcels with fresh cheese

Yield 10 wrapped humitas

Prep 35 minutes

Cook 58 minutes

Passive 15 minutes

Total 108 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Humitas saladas — savoury choclo parcels with fresh cheese

Humitas saladas use fresh choclo ground into a soft mass and folded inside the corn’s own husks, called pancas. In Andean kitchens the savoury form can be seasoned with ají, garlic and onion and paired with fresh cheese. The husks hold the mass while it steams, but are not meant to be eaten.

This filling differs from the denser dough of many tamales: it is based on freshly grated or processed corn, not dried treated grain. Choclo is a starchy Peruvian maize with large kernels. Its moisture varies by age; for the method to be reproducible, start with weighed kernels and a limited quantity of milk rather than adding liquid freely.

The small amount of ají amarillo gives a recognisable Peruvian chilli note without overwhelming the fresh corn. Divide the cheese before folding so every parcel has the same centre. Keep the simmer moderate and the husks above the water to avoid boiling the corn mass directly.

Ingredients

For ten humitas

1000 g fresh choclo kernels — cut from fresh cobs; reserve husks
300 g pasteurised queso fresco — cut into ten equal 30 g pieces
90 g red onion — finely chopped
12 g garlic — minced
35 g ají amarillo paste
70 g unsalted butter
120 ml evaporated milk — unsweetened
6 g fine salt
1 g ground black pepper
10 whole fresh corn husk pairs — two wide soft husks per humita; 20 usable husks total
3 m plain food-safe cotton twine — for tying ten wraps

Steamer

1300 ml water — for steaming, below the rack

Method

Prepare husks and grind the corn.Separate 20 clean large husks, rinse and immerse them in hot water for 5 minutes until flexible. Blend the fresh choclo kernels in batches without adding extra water; keep the texture slightly grainy. The corn forms a thick spoonable paste and the husks bend easily. Time: 15 minutes.
Build a mild ají seasoning.Melt 25 g of the butter in a wide saucepan. Cook chopped onion for 5 minutes, add garlic for 1 minute, then add ají amarillo paste and cook another 2 minutes. The onion is translucent and the ají smells mellow rather than sharp. Time: 8 minutes.
Cook the corn mixture briefly.Stir in the ground corn, 120 ml evaporated milk, the remaining 45 g butter, 6 g salt and black pepper. Cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring along the bottom of the pan. The masa thickens into a mound that holds its shape for several seconds. Time: 10 minutes.
Let the filling cool enough to wrap.Transfer the mixture to a wide covered bowl and cool for 10 minutes; divide the cheese into ten equal pieces. Keep cooked masa away from uncooked surfaces. The paste is comfortably warm, neither runny nor burning hot. Time: 10 minutes passive cooling.
Wrap ten cheese-filled humitas.Lay two softened husks overlapping, add one-tenth of the masa and a 30 g piece of queso fresco, and fold to enclose. Tie loosely with twine; repeat with the remaining husks. Every packet is closed with a little room for the corn to expand. Time: 20 minutes.
Steam without flooding the wrappers.Fill the steamer base with 1300 ml water, position the rack above the waterline, then place humitas on the rack. Cover and steam at a steady simmer for 40 minutes. The corn sets into a tender sliceable cake and no wet uncooked paste remains. Time: 40 minutes.
Settle before opening.Lift the parcels out with tongs and let them rest for 5 minutes. Untie and peel away the husks just before eating. The centre is tender and cohesive with a soft pocket of hot cheese. Time: 5 minutes passive resting.

Practical

Practical guidance

Serve humitas warm with their husks partly peeled back; caution diners that the cheese filling can be hotter than the outside. The texture should be tender and lightly granular, not the firm bite of a dried-corn tamal. If the fresh choclo has very little starch, the masa may require a slightly longer cooking time, but do not introduce unlisted flour. Chopped huacatay appears in some savoury versions; it is not required here. Cool any uneaten humitas promptly and refrigerate in closed shallow containers for three to four days at most. Reheat to 74 °C all the way through; steam rather than pan-fry for a similar texture. Use pasteurised cheese.

Control points

Husks tearThey were too dry or narrow. Soften with hot water and overlap two wide husks.
Masa spills through the foldCorn was too wet or overfilled. Reduce it until it holds a mound and wrap smaller portions.

Nutrition per 1 of 10 savoury cheese humitas

Serving size1 of 10 savoury cheese humitas
Caloriesapproximately 285 kcal
Carbohydrates28 g
Protein10 g
Fat16 g
Fibre3 g
Sodiumapproximately 390 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains dairy through cheese, butter and evaporated milk. Use pasteurised queso fresco and keep dairy cold until required. Husks and string are not edible. Chill finished parcels promptly and reheat stored portions to 74 °C.

Closing

Result: Ground fresh corn, ají amarillo and queso fresco are steamed in corn husks until the savoury masa sets.
Decisive control: They were too dry or narrow. Soften with hot water and overlap two wide husks.