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Chileatole
Corn and green chilli soup
Chileatole (chileatole): savoury corn and masa soup from Puebla and Tlaxcala with green chilli and epazote
Chileatole is a thick, savoury atole made in Puebla and Tlaxcala during the rainy-season corn harvest from July to September, sold steaming from big pots at markets in the evening and made at home when fresh corn is everywhere. Fresh corn kernels and pieces of cob simmer in a broth thickened with masa harina and tinted green with blended chilli and epazote. It is comforting and corny, with a gentle heat, and about 6 g of protein per bowl from the corn and masa. The most common mistake is adding the masa dry, which makes lumps: always dissolve it in cold water first. Chef's tip: simmer the stripped cobs in the water before you start, for a sweeter, deeper corn broth.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 sweetcorn cobskernels cut off; keep 2 cobs
- 5 ¾ cups water
- 2 serrano chilliesor 1 jalapeño
- 1 handful fresh epazoteor 1 tbsp dried, or coriander
- ½ white onionroughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 ⅛ oz masa harinamixed with 250 ml cold water
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 limecut into wedges
- 1 pinch ground chilli (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cut 2 of the stripped cobs from 4 sweetcorn cobs into 4 pieces each. Simmer them in 5 ¾ cups water for 10 minutes to flavour the broth.
10 minStep 2: Blend 2 serrano chillies, 1 handful fresh epazote, ½ white onion, 1 clove garlic and a quarter of the corn kernels with a ladle of the hot broth until smooth and bright green.
Step 3: Stir the 2 ⅛ oz masa harina mixture until smooth with no lumps, then whisk it into the simmering broth. Keep stirring for 2 minutes as it thickens.
2 minStep 4: Add the green purée, the rest of the corn kernels and 1 ½ tsp salt. Simmer over a low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't catch, until the kernels are tender and the soup is as thick as single cream.
12 minStep 5: Taste for salt. Serve hot in mugs or bowls with a piece of cob in each, 1 lime to squeeze and a pinch of 1 pinch ground chilli on top.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chileatole take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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