Mazamorra con Limón y Pimienta (Lemon-Pepper Corn Porridge)

About This Recipe

Mazamorra is a Colombian corn porridge, most commonly made sweet with panela (unrefined cane sugar) and served with milk, especially in the Antioquia region where it's a beloved breakfast and snack. This version takes the same slow-cooked, hominy-style corn base but finishes it savory instead — lemon zest and cracked black pepper in place of panela — closer to how corn porridges are treated in some coastal Colombian households when served alongside savory dishes rather than as a sweet treat. Dried hominy corn (maíz trillado or peeled dried corn) needs a long soak and slow simmer to soften properly; using it, rather than fine cornmeal, gives the porridge its traditional chewy-creamy texture rather than a smooth polenta consistency. Patience during the simmer is what makes or breaks this dish — rushing with high heat causes uneven cooking and a starchy, gluey pot instead of a properly creamy one. Serve it warm as a savory side or light meal, finished with a generous crack of black pepper and lemon zest right before eating so their aroma stays sharp against the mild, milky corn.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsdried peeled hominy corn (maíz trillado)(soaked overnight)
• 6 cupswater(plus more as needed)
• 1cinnamon stick
• 2 cupswhole milk
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 1lemon(zested)
• 1 tspfreshly cracked black pepper(plus more to finish)
• 2 tbspbutter

Instructions

1. 1

   Simmer the corn

   Drain the soaked hominy corn and add to a large pot with 6 cups water and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partially covered.

2. 2

   Cook low and slow

   Simmer for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed to keep the corn covered, until the kernels are very tender and starting to burst open.

3. 3

   Remove the cinnamon

   Discard the cinnamon stick once the corn is tender.

4. 4

   Add milk and salt

   Stir in whole milk and salt, and continue simmering uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring more frequently now, until the porridge thickens to a creamy, spoonable consistency.

   Stir more often as it thickens — the milk-corn mixture can catch and scorch on the bottom in the final stretch if left unattended.

5. 5

   Season savory

   Stir in lemon zest and cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust salt.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Stir in butter until glossy. Serve warm in bowls with an extra crack of black pepper on top.

Variations

• •

  Make it the traditional sweet way by finishing with grated panela or brown sugar instead of lemon and pepper.

• •

  Add a pinch of ground cumin along with the pepper for a warmer, earthier savory version.

• •

  Top with crumbled queso fresco for a saltier, more substantial savory bowl.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days; it thickens significantly as it cools. Reheat gently with added milk or water, stirring over low heat until smooth again.

Frequently Asked Questions