Summer in Chile Means Humitas!

 

Summer visitors to Chile have a big treat waiting for them . . . humitas! (It's pronounced oo-MEE-tahss.) Other Latin American countries have their own versions, but the Chileans make their humitas from ground corn, seasoned with onions, basil, and salt -- all wrapped and cooked in corn husks. Humitas are a food enjoyed by Native Americans in this region long before the Spanish explorers arrived. Considering how much the Chileans love them, they'll probably be eating them for a long time to come.

Above: The big ears of corn called choclos are the basic ingredient for humitas. Mass production means hours of chopping and husking corn for Nora and Orfelinda. Right: Orfe cuts corn off the cob Cata and Nora begin the grinding process . . . not in an electric food processor, but with a grinder operated by hand and woman power. The corn husks are saved for wrapping the humitas. Below left: Lots of grinding produces fresh, creamy corn. Middle: Clarina prepares onions and basil to add to the mix. Right: The mixture of corn, onions, basil, and salt is spooned into the fresh corn husks.

In midsummer, when the corn gets ripe and affordable in the Central valley of Chile, making humitas becomes a cottage industry for many Chilean women. This February and March, four women of Casa Ursulina are spending several Fridays and Saturdays preparing humitas for sale. Their largest production to date has been 130 of these delicious packets. Orders were taken ahead of time, and every one was sold. "Next time we'll make 200," one of the women said. The two-day process is a lot of work, as these photos show.

 

Left: The husks are folded around the ground corn and tied carefully with a string. Then they boil over an outdoor wood fire for about an hour . . . until they are soft and yellow . . . and ready to eat!

Our friend Valentina is ready to enjoy a fresh humita, while Ted and Magaly prepare theirs in the typical Chilean way ... with lots of juicy tomatoes. Humitas are a wonderful summer treat!