Humitas (Ecuadorian Steamed Corn Cakes)

About This Recipe

Humitas are the Andean cousins of Mexican tamales — soft, almost custardy steamed cakes made from freshly grated sweet corn, queso fresco, eggs, butter, and a touch of sugar, wrapped in fresh corn husks and steamed in a tall pot until set into tender, fragrant pillows. In Ecuador they are quintessential Sunday merienda (afternoon snack), sold from market stalls in Quito, Cuenca, and Otavalo, served with a cup of cinnamon-spiced coffee or rich hot chocolate. Unlike Peruvian or Bolivian humitas (which are firmer and sometimes sweeter), the Ecuadorian style is creamier, more savory, with the cheese melting into the corn dough. Real humitas demand fresh, just-picked corn whose milky kernels still ooze when scraped — frozen corn produces a passable but flatter result.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 8 earsfresh sweet corn (with husks intact)
• 200 gqueso fresco (or mild feta), crumbled
• 3 largeeggs
• 80 gunsalted butter, melted
• 60 mldouble cream
• 2 tbspsugar
• 1.5 tspfine salt
• 1 tspbaking powder
• 0.5 tspground anise (optional, traditional Ecuadorian touch)
• 3 tbspfine cornmeal (only if mixture is too wet)
• extra reserved corn husks for wrapping
• kitchen string or strips of husk, for tying

Instructions

1. 1

   Strip corn

   Carefully strip the outer husks from each ear, keeping the larger inner leaves whole — these will be your wrappers. Set aside the best 24 leaves in a bowl of warm water to soften.

2. 2

   Cut kernels

   Stand each corn ear on its base and slice the kernels off down the cob with a sharp knife. Scrape the cobs with the back of the knife to extract the milky liquid — this is liquid gold for the dough.

3. 3

   Grind

   Pulse the kernels with their scrapings in a food processor in short bursts to a slightly coarse paste — you want some texture, not a smooth purée. Should yield about 800 g of corn paste.

4. 4

   Mix the dough

   In a large bowl combine corn paste, crumbled cheese, eggs, melted butter, double cream, sugar, salt, baking powder, and ground anise. Mix to a thick, scoopable batter that holds shape on a spoon. If too wet (it pools), add fine cornmeal 1 tbsp at a time. If too dry, add 2 tbsp more cream.

5. 5

   Prepare wrappers

   Drain husks. Lay one large husk on the work surface, smooth side up, narrow end pointing toward you. Tear a few extra husks into thin strips for tying (or use kitchen string).

6. 6

   Fill

   Spoon 3 tbsp of dough into the center of each husk. Fold the long sides inward over the filling, then fold the bottom (narrow) end up. Leave the wide top open or tuck it under the bottom for a more secure parcel.

7. 7

   Tie

   Tie each humita with a strip of husk or kitchen string around the middle. Don't tie too tight — the dough expands as it steams.

8. 8

   Set up steamer

   Place a layer of leftover husks or a steamer basket in the bottom of a tall pot. Add 5 cm of water; bring to a hard simmer.

9. 9

   Steam

   Stand the humitas upright, folded-end down, packed tightly so they support each other. Cover. Steam at a steady simmer for 50–60 minutes. Check water level halfway; top up with hot water if needed.

10. 10

    Test and serve

    A humita is done when the dough pulls cleanly away from the husk and is firm but tender to the squeeze. Let rest 10 minutes — they firm up further. Serve warm in their husks, alongside hot Ecuadorian coffee, ají picante, or fresh cheese.

Variations

• •

  Sweet humitas (humitas dulces) — double the sugar, add raisins and ground cinnamon, skip the cheese.

• •

  Humitas con pollo — tuck a tablespoon of shredded chicken and onion sofrito in the center of each.

• •

  Bolivian humintas style — firmer dough with chunks of fresh white cheese and a teaspoon of aji amarillo paste.

Storage

Refrigerate in husks up to 4 days. Re-steam 10 minutes to revive. Freeze cooked humitas in their wrappers 2 months; steam from frozen for 25 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions