White Mazamorra (Sweet Corn Porridge)
A creamy porridge of white corn kernels slowly cooked in water then milk, lightly sweetened and flavored. Warm and gentle, it comforts and digests easily — a balm for a tired stomach.
A creamy porridge of white corn kernels slowly cooked in water then milk, lightly sweetened and flavored. Warm and gentle, it comforts and digests easily — a balm for a tired stomach.
My stomach, soldier, gave me little respite, and there were evenings when grilled meat was forbidden to me. So I contented myself with a mazamorra: white corn cooked long until tender as cream, barely sweetened with sugar. It is child's and convalescent's food, I know — but a general who does not spare his body does not finish his campaigns. Warm, light, it gave me sleep better than the vial of laudanum I kept with regret.
- •White corn (maíz pisingallo / blanco) — a handful per person (porridge base)
- •Milk — as needed for consistency (creaminess)
- •Sugar or honey — a little (sweetness)
- •Water and a little ash/lime (nixtamalization) — to soften the corn (grain preparation)
White Mazamorra (Sweet Corn Porridge)
A creamy porridge of white corn kernels slowly cooked in water then milk, lightly sweetened and flavored. Warm and gentle, it comforts and digests easily — a balm for a tired stomach.
Why this dish? San Martín suffered from stomach ailments and watched his diet, using laudanum for pain. A sweet, warm, digestible white corn porridge was exactly the kind of soothing food a man with a delicate stomach could tolerate in the evening. *Mazamorra* was a common criollo sweet, sold on the streets of Buenos Aires.
My stomach, soldier, gave me little respite, and there were evenings when grilled meat was forbidden to me. So I contented myself with a mazamorra: white corn cooked long until tender as cream, barely sweetened with sugar. It is child's and convalescent's food, I know — but a general who does not spare his body does not finish his campaigns. Warm, light, it gave me sleep better than the vial of laudanum I kept with regret.
Ingredients (period version)
- White corn (maíz pisingallo / blanco) — a handful per person (porridge base)
- Milk — as needed for consistency (creaminess)
- Sugar or honey — a little (sweetness)
- Water and a little ash/lime (nixtamalization) — to soften the corn (grain preparation)
Ingredients
- White corn for mazamorra (or cracked white corn) — 200 g, soaked overnight (base)
- Milk — 500 ml (creaminess)
- Sugar — 3-4 tbsp (sweetness)
- Lemon zest or cinnamon — to taste (flavoring)
- Pinch of salt — 1 (balance)
Method
- Soak the white corn overnight in cold water.
- Cook in a large amount of water over low heat for 1.5-2 hours, until the grains are very tender and begin to burst.
- When the water has reduced significantly, add the milk, salt, and flavoring (zest or cinnamon).
- Continue cooking for 20-30 minutes, stirring, until creamy.
- Sweeten at the end of cooking and serve warm in bowls.
How it was made : Mazamorra is a corn porridge inherited from pre-Columbian cultures, adopted by the criollos. To soften the grain, it was sometimes cooked with a little ash or lime (Andean and Mesoamerican nixtamalization technique). In San Martín's Buenos Aires, street vendors (the *mazamorreros*) sold it in the streets. It was eaten warm, plain or with sweetened milk, as a snack or evening treat.
The contemporary twist : Serve it cold as a dessert, drizzled with *dulce de leche* and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
José de San Martín · Charactorium
