Harina De Maiz: Cornmeal Porridge
Crema de harina de Maiz is a popular cornmeal porridge for a Puerto Rican breakfast. This creamy hot breakfast cereal has a fine texture resembling farina or wheat cream.
Ingredients · Servings 6
- 1 cup cornmeal flour (fine texture)
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 cups milk
- 2 tbsp butter (salted)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (ground)
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg (ground)
- 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp condensed milk (optional, use if you like it extra sweet)
Method · 25 min
- Whisk water and cornmeal flour in a bowl to make it lump free.
- Add all of the ingredients, except for the condensed milk, to a medium pot. Mix it well.
- Note: You need to mix the cornmeal the whole cooking time, to make sure it does not form lumps -at least until it thickens, then you can switch to a wooden spoon and gently stir every few minutes. Turn the stove on over medium-high heat and cook the harina de maiz mixture to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat to medium and continue mixing for 6-10 minutes until the harina de maiz thickens.
- Once the harina de maiz has thickened to your desired consistency, you can adjust it by leaving it on the stove longer to make it thicker or adding more milk to make it thinner. Taste it to check the sweetness and make any necessary adjustments by adding condensed milk, more sugar or nutmeg.Note: The longer you allow your crema de maiz to cook, the stronger the corn flavor will be. Be sure to lower the heat to low if you let it cook longer.
- Serve in small bowls and garnish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon.
It has hints of butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg and is slightly seasoned with your favorite sweetener. If you enjoy maizena, avena (oatmeal), or hot breakfast cereals like grits, you'll love this cremita de maiz.
