Huminta (from Quechua ''umint'a''), 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 Traditional foods are foods and Dish (food), dishes that are passed on through generations or which have been consumed for many generations. Traditional foods and dishes are traditional in nature, and may have a historic precedent in a national ...

, 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 Pamonha () is a traditional Brazilian food. It is a boiled paste made from sweet corn whisked in coconut milk, typically served wrapped in corn husks. See also * Bollos ( Panamanian cuisine) * Chimaki, from Japan * Humita * List of Brazilian di ...

''. 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 ''Masa'' or ''masa de maíz'' (; ) is a dough made from ground nixtamalized maize. It is used for making corn tortillas, '' gorditas'', '' tamales'', '' pupusas'', and many other Latin American dishes. It is dried and powdered into a flour f ...

). 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

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 An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classified ...

, 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 Salta () is the capital and largest city in the Provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Salta Province, the same name. With a population of 618,375 according to the 2010 census, it is also the List of cities in Argentina, 7th most-populous ...

, and other northern provinces of Argentina.

In Chile

Humitas in Chile are prepared with fresh

corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...

, basil, and butter or lard.Chef Adds New Zest At La Pena Center
Kim Severson, ''San Francisco Chronicle'', 06-08-1999, access date 05-12-2012 They are wrapped in corn

husk Husk (or hull) in botany is the outer shell or coating of a seed. In the United States, the term husk often refers to the leafy outer covering of an Ear (botany), ear of maize (corn) as it grows on the plant. Literally, a husk or hull includes t ...

s and baked or boiled. The humitas are tied with thread or twine to keep them together while cooking. They can be made savory or sweet, and are traditionally served with

added sugar Added sugars or free sugars are sugar carbohydrates (caloric sweeteners) added to food and beverages at some point before their consumption. These include added carbohydrates ( monosaccharides and disaccharides), and more broadly, sugars nat ...

tomato The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible Berry (botany), berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originate ...

. In Chile, humitas are traceable back to the 19th century.

In Ecuador

Ecuadorian humitas are prepared with fresh ground corn and onions, eggs, pork fat and spices that vary from region to region, and also by each family's tradition. The dough is wrapped in a corn husk, but is steamed rather than baked or boiled. Ecuadorian humitas may also contain cheese. This dish is so traditional in Ecuador that they have developed special pots just for cooking humitas. Ecuadorian humitas can be salty or sweet. It is common to fry them in a pan just before eating.

In the Andes

In the central

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

region of Peru and Bolivia, humitas are prepared with fresh corn combined with

lard Lard is a Quasi-solid, semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering (animal products), rendering the adipose tissue, fatty tissue of a domestic pig, pig.

and salt and queso fresco for a savory dish or with fresh corn with lard, sugar,

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, biscuits, b ...

and

raisin A raisin is a Dried fruit, dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and South Afri ...

s for a sweet dish. Savory humitas may also be prepared with anise. These are typically very rare in other parts of South America.

In Peru

These humitas are prepared with corn wrapped in corn husks and can be cooked in boiling water, placed in a pachamanca oven, or steamed. They can be wrapped in several ways. One of the earliest references to huminta in Peru was written by the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega in his '' Comentarios Reales de los Incas'', which he published in Lisbon in 1609. In talking about huminta, he describes his own memories of consuming it while he was living in Peru between 1539 and 1560. From this, it can be deduced that huminta was already being prepared in Peru during this time.

References

External links

* {{Corn Latin American cuisine Mexican cuisine Native American cuisine Guatemalan cuisine Ecuadorian cuisine Chilean cuisine Peruvian cuisine Bolivian cuisine Argentine cuisine Maize dishes