Choclo, also referred to as Peruvian corn or Cuzco corn (after

Cuzco Cusco, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the seventh most populous in Peru; ...

, the capital city of the

Inca empire The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, ( Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The adm ...

), is a large-

kernel Kernel may refer to: Computing * Kernel (operating system), the central component of most operating systems * Kernel (image processing), a matrix used for image convolution * Compute kernel, in GPGPU programming * Kernel method, in machine learn ...

variety of

field corn Field corn, also known as cow corn, is a North American term for maize (''Zea mays'') grown for livestock fodder (silage), ethanol, cereal, and processed food products. The principal field corn varieties are dent corn, flint corn, flour corn (also ...

from the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

. It is consumed in parts of Central America and South America, especially in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Colombia. Choclo can be eaten raw when the ears are young, or cooked when the ears are more mature. It has a more mild flavor compared to other varieties of field corn, and is better suited for human consumption. When compared to sweet corn, the kernels are larger and chewier and have a starchy, hefty texture, rather than a sweet taste. The taste and appearance are somewhat similar to hominy. Choclo is used in the making of

humitas Humita (from Quechua ''humint'a'') is a Native South American dish from pre-Hispanic times, a traditional food from the Andes and it can be found in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Northwest Argentina. It consists of fresh choclo (Peruvian m ...

in Bolivia, choclo

arepa ''Arepa'' () is a type of food made of ground maize dough stuffed with a filling, eaten in the northern region of South America since pre-Columbian times, and notable primarily in the cuisine of Colombia and Venezuela, but also present in the cuis ...

s in Colombia and for

pastel de choclo Pastel de choclo ("corn pie" or "corn cake") is a South American dish made from sweetcorn or choclo. It is similar to the pastel de elote found in Mexican cuisine and to the English corn pudding. The filling usually contains ground beef, chicken, ...

. Peruvian corn is often white in color. The word ''choclo'' derives from the

Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language **So ...

word ''choccllo'' and has since taken on a broader context within the Spanish language, often being used to refer to cobs of corn in general. Ceviche

In Peru, choclo is commonly served as an accompaniment to dishes such as

ceviche Ceviche () is a Peruvian dish typically made from fresh raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices, most commonly lime or lemon. It is also spiced with '' ají'', chili peppers or other seasonings, and julienned red onions, salt, and cilantro are ...

, and its toasted, salted form, similar to

corn nuts Corn nuts, also known as toasted corn, are a snack food made of roasted or deep-fried corn kernels. It is referred to as ''cancha'' in Peru and ''chulpi'' in Ecuador. Preparation Corn nuts are prepared by soaking whole corn kernels in wa ...

, are customarily given free to restaurant patrons upon being seated. Full ears of choclo are also a popular street food in Peru and other Andean countries, typically served with a slice of cheese as choclo con queso. While flavors vary greatly, finger foods like choclo con queso mirror the popularity of corn on the cob as a convenient street snack in Latin America. See also

elote Corn on the cob is a culinary term for a cooked ear of sweet corn (maize) eaten directly off the cob. The ear is picked while the endosperm is in the "milk stage" so that the kernels are still tender. Ears of corn are steamed, boiled, or gr ...

. Choclo may also refer to common corn in Argentina and Chile.

References

{{Corn Maize varieties Crops originating from Peru