Dessert, Sweet
Humita
Huminta , huma (from Quechua possibly uma head) or humita (possibly employing the Spanish diminutive -ita) is a dish that dates back to pre-Hispanic times. A traditional food, it can be found in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Argentina. It consists of fresh choclo (maize) pounded to a paste, wrapped in a fresh corn husk, and slowly steamed or boiled in a pot of water. In Bolivia, it is known as huminta and in Brazil as pamonha. Humitas are similar to Mexican uchepos, or tamales colados, which are also made with fresh corn; but they are only superficially similar to tamales, which are made with nixtamalized corn (masa). Colombia's envueltos or bollos are also similar to humitas. They share a link to the juane ("Saint John's head"), which can be made with corn (sara juane) but is modernly made with rice.
In Argentina, humitas are prepared in two main ways: humita a la olla (in a pot) and humita en chala (in corn husks). For humita a la olla, the corn kernels are grated to create a smooth, creamy mixture, though some prefer to grind the kernels with modern machines. This process leaves behind the skins of the kernels, resulting in a less smooth texture. The mixture may also be combined with criollo pumpkin (a type of green-skinned squash), and milk is sometimes added if the corn is dry. The cream is then sautéed with onions, and sometimes bell pepper, and seasoned with salt, basil, paprika, and cumin. The mixture is cooked in a pot. Once served, it can be topped with melted creamy cheese, although this is optional.
For humita en chala, the corn mixture is placed inside two clean corn husks, arranged in a cross shape to form a small package. The package is tied with strips of husk and boiled in salted water for about an hour. Typically, small chunks of creamy cheese, white cheese or goat cheese are added to the filling, which is more common in the northern regions of Argentina. Humita never contains any type of meat. Given the natural sweetness of corn, two varieties of humitas are common: sweet and salty, the latter prepared without adding extra salt. For the sweet version, sugar is often added to the mixture before cooking. They can be found in restaurants and markets in Jujuy, Tucumán, Salta, and other northern provinces of Argentina.
