Recipe for Humintas!

This is one of my favorite things to eat in Bolivia!  They're kind of like a tamale, but sweeter and no meat.  I've adapted the recipe from http://www.boliviaweb.com/

Humintas a la Olla

Ingredients

4 cups fresh ground corn
1 cup butter

1 cup boiling water

1 spoonful salt

2 spoonfuls sugar

5 fresh cheese (fresh mozzarella will work too)
Enough husk to make 8 large humintas or 16 small ones
Preparation

1.Melt butter and add it to the four cups of ground corn. Mix quickly and add sugar and salt, always stirring.

2.Take two husks, join them by the wide parts. In the middle place one or two spoonfuls of the corn mixture with a slice of cheese. Close them by doubling first the husk on top and later the one at the bottom and finally the sides. Tie them using a string made of husks. Do the same with all.

3.In a large casserole put two rows of corn cobs (or metal rack to keep humintas from being completely immersed) covered with some husks. Add boiling water until covering the first row of cobs. Place the humintas on top and cover them again with husks. Let them cook over medium heat for forty-five minutes.

To know for sure when humintas are ready, cook a potato with them. When the potato is cooked, humintas also will be ready. Serve them hot.

Serves 8--or one! ;)