Corn is one of the most significant agricultural products in Latin America. This is no more so the case than in Peru, where the favourable climate produces 55 types of corn, which come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours. But in South America as a whole, there are more than 220 varieties!
Corn is a super versatile ingredient and of major economic importance to the region, be it manufacturing sector or the food industry.
This recipe was passed down to me by my grandmother, Margarida, who lives in the Brazilian countryside.
It is a corn dessert, which is known by several different names in Brazil, including Curau and Canjica.
Ingredients
4 fresh corn cobs
1 teacup of milk
1 teacup of coconut milk
1/2 teacup of sugar
Cinnamon powder to decorate
Preparation
Discard the corn husk and wash the cobs thoroughly under a tap. Use a deep bowl to thresh the cobs. Position the corn cob in an upright position and thresh the corn kernels from the cob using a knife.
Use a blender to ground the corn kernels with the milk and coconut milk.
Over a pan, pass the blended liquid through a sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the juices—throw out the remaining skin/fibres from the corn.
Mix in the sugar, over a medium heat. Stir with a whisk continuously until it starts to boil. Lower the heat and continue stirring for another 4 minutes, until it thickens. The pudding can thicken suddenly, so don’t stop stirring.
With a ladle, distribute the pudding into six individual dessert bowls and place them in the refrigerator. Allow to cool for at least 1 hour. Sprinkle cinnamon powder over the top and enjoy this extremely practical and divine treat.
