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List of maize dishes facts for kids

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Cocoloşi
Cocoloși cooking on a grill

Have you ever eaten a delicious ear of maize? Maize, also known as corn, is one of the most important crops in the world! It's used to make so many different foods and drinks. This article will show you some amazing dishes where corn is the main star.

How Corn Becomes Food: Ingredients

Before corn becomes a tasty meal, it often goes through special steps. These steps can include drying it, grinding it into flour, or a process called nixtamalization. This makes the corn easier to cook and more nutritious.

Here are some common corn ingredients:

  • Cornmeal: This is dried corn that has been ground into a flour. It's used in many baked goods.
  • Corn oil: This oil is pressed from corn kernels. It's used for cooking and in many food products.
  • Corn starch: A fine powder made from corn. It's often used to thicken sauces and soups.
  • Corn syrup: A sweet liquid made from corn starch. It's used in many candies and desserts.
  • Masa: A special dough made from corn that has been nixtamalized. It's used to make tortillas and tamales.
  • Mielie-meal: A coarse cornmeal popular in Southern Africa.
  • Samp: Dried corn kernels that have been pounded and chopped.

Delicious Corn Dishes

Corn is incredibly versatile! People around the world use it to make all sorts of yummy dishes.

Soups, Stews, and Porridge

Corn can be boiled or stewed to make warm, comforting dishes. These often use cornmeal or fresh corn kernels.

  • Akple and Banku: Thick corn doughs from West Africa.
  • Bulz: A Romanian dish of polenta with cheese.
  • Canjica: A sweet Brazilian corn porridge.
  • Cocoloși: A Romanian dish, often grilled.
  • Corn chowder and Corn soup: Creamy soups with corn.
  • Corn pudding: A baked dish made with corn.
  • Creamed corn: A creamy side dish where corn kernels are pulped.
  • Grits: A ground-corn food popular in the Southern United States, often eaten for breakfast.
  • Mămăligă: A traditional Romanian cornmeal porridge, similar to polenta.
  • Polenta: A dish of boiled cornmeal, popular in Italy.
  • Pozole: A hearty Mexican soup with hominy and meat.
  • Ugali: A thick porridge from Africa, also known as pap.
  • Xarém: A cornmeal dish from Portugal.

Tamales and Similar Dishes

Tamales are a very old dish, first made in Central America thousands of years ago! They are made from nixtamalized corn dough, wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf, and then steamed.

  • Acaçá: A Brazilian dish made from corn paste.
  • Hallaca: A Venezuelan tamale-like dish.
  • Humita: A South American dish similar to a tamale.
  • Nacatamal: A large tamale from Nicaragua.
  • Pamonha: A Brazilian sweet corn paste wrapped in corn husks.

Breads and Cakes

Corn is often ground into flour to make many different kinds of breads and cakes.

  • Arepa: A flat, round corn bread popular in South America.
  • Broa: A type of corn bread from Portugal and Brazil.
  • Cachapa: A Venezuelan pancake made from fresh corn.
  • Chipa guasu: A Paraguayan corn cake.
  • Cornbread: A classic American bread made with cornmeal.
  • Gordita: A thick corn tortilla, often filled.
  • Johnnycake: A cornmeal flatbread from North America.
  • Pastel de choclo: A sweet corn pie from South America.
  • Pupusa: A thick, stuffed corn tortilla from El Salvador.
  • Sopa paraguaya: A savory corn cake from Paraguay.
  • Talo: A traditional corn flatbread from the Basque Country.
  • Wotou: A cone-shaped steamed bread from China.

Tortilla Dishes

Corn tortillas are thin, flat breads made from masa. They are a staple in Mexican cuisine and are used to create many other popular dishes.

  • Enchiladas: Tortillas rolled around a filling and covered in sauce.
  • Nachos: Tortilla chips topped with cheese and other ingredients.
  • Quesadillas: Tortillas filled with cheese and cooked until melted.
  • Taco: A folded or rolled tortilla filled with various ingredients.
  • Taquito: A small, rolled-up tortilla, usually fried.
  • Tortilla chip: Crispy pieces of fried or baked tortilla.
  • Tostada: A flat, crispy fried tortilla with toppings.

Fried Dishes

Many crispy and delicious snacks are made from corn or cornmeal.

  • Corn fritter: Fried patties made with corn.
  • Corn chip: A snack food made from cornmeal, like Fritos.
  • Corn dog: A sausage on a stick, coated in cornmeal batter and fried.
  • Corn nut: Fried or roasted corn kernels, a crunchy snack.
  • Hushpuppy: Small, savory fried cornmeal balls.

Other Corn Creations

  • Corn on the cob: A whole ear of corn, often boiled or grilled.
  • Corn flakes: A popular breakfast cereal made from toasted corn.
  • Hominy: Dried corn kernels that have been nixtamalized.
  • Popcorn: Corn kernels that expand and puff up when heated.
  • Succotash: A dish of corn and lima beans.

Corn Beverages

Corn isn't just for eating; it's also used to make many drinks! Some are fermented, others are infused, or used to thicken drinks.

  • Atole: A warm, thick drink made from masa, popular in Mexico.
  • Chicha: A traditional corn beverage from Latin America.
  • Chicha morada: A sweet, non-alcoholic drink made from purple corn in Peru.
  • Corn beer: A type of beer made from corn.
  • Corn whiskey: A type of whiskey made primarily from corn.
  • Tejate: A traditional corn and cacao drink from Oaxaca, Mexico.

Images for kids

See also

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List of maize dishes Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.