Humitas (Peruvian Fresh Corn Cakes in Husks)
Fresh corn ground into a soft dough with butter and a little sugar, filled with fresh cheese and ají amarillo, wrapped in corn husks and steamed. Savoury-sweet and tender.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Remove the husks
Carefully peel the husks from the corn cobs, keeping the largest ones whole for wrapping. Soak the husks in hot water for about 10 minutes until soft and pliable.
- 6 cobs' husks corn husks
- 2 liters water for soaking
✅ Done when: husks are soft and bend without cracking
Grind the corn
Cut the kernels off the cobs with a knife, then blend or grind them to a thick, slightly coarse paste; do not puree completely smooth.
- kernels from 6 cobs corn kernels
✅ Done when: paste is thick, coarse, and holds together
Make the dough
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Fill and wrap
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Steam
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Serve
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Remove the husks
Carefully peel the husks from the corn cobs, keeping the largest ones whole for wrapping. Soak the husks in hot water for about 10 minutes until soft and pliable.
- 6 cobs' husks corn husks
- 2 liters water for soaking
✅ Done when: husks are soft and bend without cracking
Grind the corn
Cut the kernels off the cobs with a knife, then blend or grind them to a thick, slightly coarse paste; do not puree completely smooth.
- kernels from 6 cobs corn kernels
✅ Done when: paste is thick, coarse, and holds together
Make the dough
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Fill and wrap
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Steam
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Humitas (from the Quechua humint'a) are among the oldest corn dishes of the Andes, eaten long before the Spanish arrived. Unlike tamales, they're made from fresh rather than dried corn, which makes them softer and sweeter.
They're sold in Peruvian markets for breakfast, in savoury versions with cheese and sweet ones with raisins and cinnamon.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Tender, buttery and tasting of fresh corn, they're one of the simplest pleasures of Andean food.
💡 Fun Fact
Humitas are also loved in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Argentina, and each country has its own way of folding the husk.
Peruvian Andes and coast
-13.53°S, -71.97°W
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