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Uchepos
Fresh corn tamales
Michoacán's sweet fresh-corn tamales with cream and salsa
When the summer corn comes in across Michoacán, families in Morelia and the Tierra Caliente grate the young kernels and make uchepos: soft, moist tamales of fresh corn, milk and a little sugar, wrapped in the green husks they came from. They taste like the sweetest corn pudding, and are eaten for breakfast or supper with cream, crumbled cheese and a tomato salsa, sweet and savoury together. Cotija or queso fresco may be made with animal rennet; use a vegetarian cheese if needed. Chef's tip: use the freshest, milkiest corn you can find (a kernel should spurt when pressed); old corn is starchy and the uchepos come out dry.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the uchepos
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 ¾ oz buttermelted
- 2 tbsp sugarmore if the corn is not sweet
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
To serve
- ¾ cup red salsa
- 2 ⅞ oz cotija or queso frescocrumbled, or a vegetarian cheese
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Cut off the base of each of 8 fresh corn cobs with their husks and carefully peel off the green husks, keeping them whole. Rinse the best 24 and pat them dry. Remove the silk.
10 minStep 2: Cut the kernels off the cobs; you need about 900 g. Blend with ¼ cup milk in batches to a thick, slightly rough purée.
8 minStep 3: Stir in 1 ¾ oz butter, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. The mix should be like thick porridge; if runny, leave it for 10 minutes to thicken.
2 minStep 4: Put 2 heaped tablespoons of the mixture in the middle of a husk. Fold the long sides over to enclose it, then fold the pointed end up underneath. Common mistake: overfilling; the purée is loose and leaks as it steams.
15 minStep 5: Stand the uchepos upright, fold end down, in a steamer lined with spare husks. Cover with more husks and a tight lid.
3 minStep 6: Steam over simmering water for 50–60 minutes, until they feel firm and come away cleanly from the husk. Rest for 15 minutes; they firm up as they cool.
60 minStep 7: Serve warm with ¾ cup Mexican crema or soured cream, ¾ cup red salsa and 2 ⅞ oz cotija or queso fresco.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does uchepos take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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