I am a big fan of choclo. It’s a corn from the Andes of Peru. It’s not like the sweet corn you normally find here in the US. In fact, it’s not sweet at all. The kernels are instead very large and very starchy, almost like hominy. This choclo al cumino really accentuates the unique flavor of the corn, with a hint of lime and cumin. It’s a fantastically fresh and light side dish.
If you are looking for a creamy, sweet corn like you so often get when you order corn at a restaurant in the US, this isn’t it. This will open your eyes up to a different world of corn!
Finding Choclo
You can find the choclo to make choclo al cumino in some South American specialty food stores. Usually it’s frozen and off the cob, but you can also find it on the cob. I found it in Saraga here in Indianapolis and also at Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati.
In Peru, it isn’t uncommon to find street vendors selling boiled choclo-on-the-cob, especially when you are in the Andes. I lived in Peru when I was in my teens. I often sought out choclo vendors. As much as I loved American sweet corn, I was really drawn to the flavors of choclo, and the textures. And it was cheap. Crazy cheap. You could get a monster-sized ear of boiled choclo for mere pennies. And you were lucky if you could finish it, because it was definitely almost a meal in itself.
Some folks have a love/heat relationship with cumin. I’m one of them. Sometimes I load up on it, like in a salsa. And others, I back way off. You can reduce the amount of cumin in this dish if you want, but I wouldn’t leave it out completely.
- AUTOMATIC VACUUM FOOD SEALER WITH STARTER KIT…
- DUAL DRY & MOIST MODES FOR EVERY FOOD TYPE…
Another favorite choclo dish of mine (though not authentic Peruvian cuisine) is my choclo maque choux.
Choclo al Cumino
Ingredients
- 2 ears choclo corn or substitute 1 1/2 cups frozen choclo kernels, thawed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin divided
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add just enough water to cover the cobs or the lose kernels.
- Add the corn and sugar and boil 3-5 minutes or until the kernels are tender. Drain. If using choclo-on-the-cob cut kernels from the cobs.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the corn, half of the cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir and heat through.
- Squeeze the lime over the corn.
- Serve sprinkled with the remaining cumin.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
- Meal Prep MVP – A practical and innovative way to…
- 12 Diverse Blades – With nine interchangeable…
- Set includes: 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup and 1 cup
- Magnetic handles keep Cups together for storage…