An Ode to Corn

While I don’t know for certain, I feel fairly confident in saying that corn is one of Nicaragua’s main agricultural products. The corn here is not as tender or sweet as one might find in the fields of middle America, but it’s cheap, filling, and plentiful. Consequently, the Nicaraguan diet includes a lot of corn, in a wide variety of forms.

In honor of the upcoming Feria de Maiz of Jalapa, Nueva Segovia, THE corn festival of Nicaragua (33 years and still going strong!), I’ve decided to put together a fairly comprehensive list of corn-based foods that you can find here in Nicaragua (in alphabetical order, because I’m a bit obsessive compulsive).

Atol de Elote – a pudding made from fresh corn. Sweet and cinnamony.

Buñuelos – Fried dumplings of corn and cheese, served in a sugary syrup. They are supposedly popular holiday treats.

Chicha de Maiz – a very sugary drink made from dried corn. Bright pink (not sure what prompted this tradition of adding colorant, but it seems that Nicaraguans do not find chicha as appetizing if it isn’t practically glowing in the dark. This same logic is also applied to chicken). Can be fermented for extra fun. 

Elote asada – grilled corn. Simple, tasty, and cheap. I have yet to understand why here, in a nation that loves its salt, grilled corn is eaten completely plain. I like to sneak a little bit of salt onto mine. Adds flavor, and keeps the blood pressure soaring.

Güirila – A sweet pancake made from fresh corn, güirila is tasty on its own but excellent with cuajada (a mild, soft white cheese) and crema (slightly soured cream).

Indio Viejo – A dish of parties and of the poor, indio viejo is a filling stew that can serve many people using few ingredients. Meat, if available, is cooked with onions, tomato, and peppers, and garlic. The meat is then shredded and a broth is created using ground corn tortilla and water. Vegetables may be added if desired and available.

Montuca – Chicken or pork encased in sweet corn dough, wrapped in corn husk and boiled.

Nacatamal – A savory packet of corn dough, rice, potato (because there isn’t quite enough of a variety of carbohydrates without it), meat, onion, tomato, and sweet pepper, all wrapped up in a banana leaf. A very filling, perfectly portable pillow of a meal.

Palomitas – Popcorn! Sold in small bags as a street food, the popcorn here is infinitely better than that which you can purchase in movie theaters in the states. Why? Real butter my friends….real butter. And salt, of course. Sometimes it even comes mixed with M&Ms and/or peanuts.

Pinol and Pinolillo – The official drink of Nicaragua (outside of Flor de Caña), pinol is made from toasted and ground corn, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. To make pinolillo, add roasted and ground cacao. Can be made with water or milk.

Rosquillas – Savory donut-shaped crackers made from ground corn and cheese. Eaten with coffee. The best are from Madriz!

Rosquetes – The rosquilla’s cookie cousin. Reminiscent of graham crackers.

Sopa de Albondigas – A flavorful minty broth with balls of corn and cheese dough.

Tamal – Here, the tamal is plain – a solid mass of corn dough, steamed in a corn husk. Tamals are typically made from fresh corn, giving it a sweeter flavor. However, a plain (or, ash-flavored) tamal is made for Semana Santa using dried corn.

Torta de Maiz – A sweet corn cake-like bread. Found in most corner stores, and served as an afternoon snack at most meetings. Can become breakfast in a pinch.

Tortilla – a staple, tortillas are usually made fresh in-home and consumed daily. I’m pretty sure that every Nicaraguan female knows how to echar tortillas by puberty. Tortillas are usually made using dried corn that is ground after being pretreated with cal (lyme). However, tortillas can also be made using fresh corn, and are excellent hot off the pan with a bit of salt. Tortillas are eaten at every meal – plain, with cheese, or beans, or soup… Tortillas are also used to make various tasty foods such as tacos, enchiladas, repochetas, quesillos, quesadillas, and burritos.

Feeling a bit like Bubba Gump now…

Words of the Week: Chilote – young corn, elote – fresh corn, maiz – dried corn