Ecuador corn

Mote, roasted or chicha How do you prefer Corn?

Roasted , cooked , ground or in ancestral drinks , corn is part of the ancestral gastronomic heritage , we invite you to take a tour of Ecuador and its gastronomy that introduces us to corn in its various varieties that undoubtedly impress us in every bite .      

As a child my grandmother sewed several " choclos " as corn is known, these were collected and harvested in those summer days, where rest was combined with doing and fun. The corn had large grains and they were always accompanied with a slice of cheese made by the grandmother, in the town of Sigchos, Cotopaxi.

Importance of Corn

Corn grows mostly in the Andes region of the country, however, with changes and adaptations to the climate corn grows in certain regions of the Coast and the Amazon . The cultivation of this product is among the most important agricultural in the country.      

This cereal is part of the diet of Ecuadorians, in weekend meetings or in daily prepared foods, proof of this is walking through its streets and observing dozens of fast food places that offer portions of shelled corn accompanied by meat of pork prepared in its spot with condiments and secrets to grant unparalleled flavors.

There is also one more option, the mote with chicharrón . The mote is a type of corn that is bought dry, to cook it it is necessary to soak it from the previous night and cook it takes several hours. Both the mote and the corn in these presentations are accompanied by toast, another variety of corn, which is fried in oil or lard. A delight. You can not miss the companion of these delicacies, the traditional peanut pepper .   

But moving a little further, the corn leads us to enjoy evenings and mornings with delicious and laborious breakfasts with a presentation of the ground cereal to make humitas and tamales, masses stuffed with cheese and chicken or pork meat, respectively. Once prepared the doughs, these are wrapped in the same leaves of the corn to later be steamed. With a good cup of coffee this is a delicacy of salt for the palate. 

 That is not all in our moments of fun corn appears again in its presentation " canguil " or known as popcorn. It is easy to prepare, place oil and grains in a thick pot, but a lid should cover the implement, otherwise the reaction of the oil with the grain will cause them to explode incessantly. 

After this detail I invite you to choose one to accompany it with ancestral drinks such as rosero , c hampús and chicha de jora , consumed until today at parties such as Inti Raymi , Kapak Raymi and others. Chicha is prepared with soaked, dried and ground corn.         

And so, Ecuador offers delicious cuisine with an ingredient that is part of the identity of its people. In the season from April to July, it is the time of harvest of the products that the land offers, in them the corn that requires skilled producers who know the phases of the sun, the moon, the weather and season to plant seeds that grow and serve to create culinary delights with corn.  

Choose the best option and enjoy this ancestral grain that creates and allows you to live an unparalleled experience in the country located in two hemispheres, to test the duality of flavors.

Data of interest​​​​​​​

March and September: In Babahoyo , province of Los Ríos, there are two annual editions of the " Corn Revolution ". Casserole, buns, sango, tamales , torrejas, humitas , mazamorra , corn in various preparations (fried, roasted or cooked), salt and sweet cake, are some of the recipes that are tasted based on this ingredient.          

August or September: “ The Corn Festival and tourism ” takes place in the Rumiñahui canton , Pichincha province . The celebration has been held since 1960. During this festivity several activities are organized among them: the Paseo del Chagra, music festivals, craft and gastronomic fairs.  

All year round: The province of Azuay is known for the diversity of dishes made with mote. In the Ecuadorian austro you can taste the dirty nickname , nickname, nickname and the drink known as “ shampoos ”, which is also common in Carchi , Imbabura , Pichincha , Cotopaxi , Tungurahua , Bolívar , Chimborazo and Cañar .               

Inti Raymi Festival: This Inca tradition is celebrated in June and July to thank Pachamama and the Sun for the crops received. It is one of the most important festivals of the indigenous communities, and in the ceremonial center of Cotacachi this festival is held that brings together dozens of travelers and communities in the area. Cotacachi is located at 2:30 am, north of the Ecuadorian capital, Imbabura province .