Humitas en Chala – Steamed Corn Parcels in Husks
Creamy, fragrant corn dough made from fresh cobs and steamed in the corn's own husk. Pure tradition from northern Argentina.
The husks come off the cob whole and get boiled for 2 minutes. That is what makes them flexible enough to fold without splitting — dry husks crack exactly where you need them to bend, and the parcel opens in the water.
And the corn is grated or briefly pulsed, not blended smooth. The texture is meant to be rustic; taken to a purée the humita turns to porridge.
For the version made in a pot instead of parcels, see the humita en olla.
🔎 What is humita? — where it comes from, what goes in it and how it differs.
🔎 What is beef suet? — where it comes from, what goes in it and how it differs.
Ingredients
- 12 fresh corn cobs with tender kernels, husks kept intact
- 2 white onions, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 100 g butter or beef suet
- 1 cup whole milk, if the corn is not tender enough
- 200 g mild melting cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- Salt, to taste
Method
- 1
Preparing the husks: strip the cobs carefully so as not to tear the husks. Choose the largest, soundest ones, wash them and boil them for 2 minutes so they become flexible and easy to handle. Drain them.
- 2
Grate the kernels off the cobs, or pulse them briefly — do not blend them smooth. You want a rustic paste.
- 3
Base: in a pot, cook the onion and the bell pepper in the butter or suet until translucent. Add the paprika and the chili flakes, stir quickly and add the corn paste. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon so it does not catch, until it thickens. If the mixture is very dry, add the milk a little at a time. Cook for 10-15 minutes.
- 4
Assembly: take two clean husks and cross them in an X, or overlap their edges to make a wide base. Put a generous spoonful of the paste in the center, add a cube of cheese in the middle and fold the sides in, tying the parcel closed with a strip of husk that you have boiled first — a dry strip snaps as you pull it tight.
- 5
Lower the humitas carefully into a pot of boiling salted water for 20-25 minutes. Keep the boil gentle so the parcels do not break open.
- 6
Lift them out with a slotted spoon, let them rest a minute and serve hot, opening the husk at the table.
Flavors of Salta
The soul of Argentina's northwest in your kitchen. A run through the Andean inheritance of corn, slow fire and deep flavors that take you there with every bite.
