6/20/2012

dinengdeng a mais, white corn stew/soup



Mais, corn, young corn kernel, is one of the best for soups, well, Ilokano-wise, Pinoy-wise. Well, besides being boiled and/or grilled on the cob. And the best, for me, is the small "native" diket (malagkit, "sticky") white corn. The dish is popular all over, it's called "sinuwam na mais" by the Tagalogs, the Ilokanos simply call it as "dinengdeng a mais."



Freshly harvested white corn is the best for dinengdeng. The really young and tender cobs. You can test its freshness and tenderness by pinching a kernel--it oozes a milky sweet juice (called "maragatas").

Scrape the kernels off the cob. Do not wash the scraped kernels or you've wasted its starchy essence.

You can add-in the usual leafy greens like kalunay, marunggay, paria, saluyot, bulong ti sili, and the like.
Boil the kernels until thick, put in onions and garlic and season it with patis or bugguong juice (just minimally, as the bugguong's strong aroma may overwhelm the soup/broth). Add-in some dried fish, or shrimps, or strips of meat, if you prefer. Just before you serve it, add in the leafy greens.

And it's done... Dinengdeng a mais with kalunay. Serve and eat it while it's still hot to enjoy it's thick, sticky broth.

Dinengdeng a mais with marunggay leaves.

Dinengdeng a mais with marunggay leaves and shrimps.

Dinengdeng a mais with paria leaves and beef strips.

My rice plate with dinengdeng a mais with paria leaves and meat strips.


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