Ginataang Mais

Ginataang mais is a popular sweet porridge made with glutinous rice, corn kernels, coconut milk, coconut cream, sugar, pandan leaves and salt. It can be served hot or chilled, is super filling and can be enjoyed as a merienda, dessert or as an afternoon snack. Follow our Ginataang mais recipe to make this sweet dish in your home.

GINATAANG MAIS RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1 can whole corn kernels
• 1 cup glutinous rice
• 3 cups water
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 400 ml coconut cream
• Bunch of pandan leaves

Directions:

1. Wash the glutinous rice for a few times and then transfer to a large bowl. Soak them in water for 30 minutes. Then, drain afterwards.
2. Pour the water in a large pot. Add the coconut milk and season with some salt. Stir to dissolve. Add the pandan leaves. Cover the pot and let it boil using high heat.
3. Add the soaked glutinous rice. Cover the pot again and cook for 15 minutes. Stir from time to time to prevent burning and to avoid lumps. After 15 minutes, the rice should start to soften.
4. Add the whole can of corn kernels (drained), sugar and coconut cream. Stir until well combined. Stir continuously and let it simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until it thickens.
5. Once you get the desired consistency, turn the heat off.
6. Transfer the ginataang mais to a large serving bowl. Enjoy this as a warm snack. Yum!

WHAT IS GINATAAN?

Ginataan, from its root word “gata”, is a group of dishes which predominantly uses coconut cream and milk for the flavor. Most ginataan dishes are savoury in nature. Ginataan is a proud Bicolano pride, where most dishes originate. Some of the best ginataan dishes include ginataang manok, bicol express, ginataang baboy, ginataang tulingan and many more.

Aside from being an ulam, the creaminess of the gata is also best when prepared as desserts. One of the best dessert ginataan are ginataang halo halo and ginataang mais.

WHAT IS MAIS?

Mais, or corn, is one of the Pinoy staples next to rice and bread. It is a good source of carbohydrates and oozing with fiber content. The two main types of corn available to our country is the mais pinoy (or the white corn) and the Japanese corn (the yellow corn). The main difference of the two aside from the color is that the Japanese corn is much sweeter. Mais is usually enjoyed as it is but can also be added to dishes. The white corn is usually added in bulanglang and veggie dishes while the yellow corn is usually added in desserts like halo halo, mais con yielo and ginataang mais.

GINATAANG MAIS

Filipinos are rice eaters, and we have a lot or rice varieties out there. While it is a bit hard to differentiate the taste and texture of the sinandomeng to the dinorado rice, one distinct rice variety would be the sticky rice or glutinous rice. Instead of being partnered with viand, sticky rice is usually made into snacks or dishes which are usually sweet. It can also be termed as dessert rice.

We bought a kilo of glutinous rice just to make different treats with it. Unlike the regular rice wherein a cup of rice grains yields 2 cups of boiled rice, the malagkit rice expands more and can create three times the amount of raw grains! Also, there are a lot more starch in malagkit rice compared to regular rice which made it extra sticky.

We made some champorado last night and ginataang mais is up on the line for today. You may compare the ginataang mais with ginataang halo halo but with just corn as the extra ingredient. What I love most about ginataang mais is that it is super fulfilling because of the rice. Instead of a plain dessert, I treat this dish mostly as a snack (or even a meal!). Busog in just a cup!

Since the malagkit rice expands, a cup of it can already feed a whole family! The ginataang mais is just like thick lugaw, but make it dessert. Yum!

If you want to try making ginataang mais at home, simply follow the quick and easy steps below. Happy cooking!

HOW TO MAKE GINATAANG MAIS

Making ginataang mais is super simple. With just a few steps, you can make yourself a warm and sweet snack which can also be a dessert! If you have tried making champorado or other dishes made with sticky rice, then this recipe will be familiar to you.

Since this recipe uses both coconut milk and coconut cream, I recommend to buy a whole coconut and just process the niyog at home. (This is if you have a coconut shredder). Aside from the milk and cream, you can enjoy the coco water as a drink or use in other recipes.

Let’s start the ginataang mais with the right rice. For this recipe, it is extremely important to use glutinous rice or sticky rice or malagkit rice. What we aim to create is a thick rice stew and not boiled rice. Wash the sticky rice a few times to release most of the starch. The starch is the component of the rice which makes it glutinous or sticky. Then, soak them in water. This will soften the grain, making it easier to cook for later. Discard the water from this step.

Pour fresh water in a pot and then the pandan leaves (tie them first in a bunch so it will be easier to remove them later) and coconut milk. Our first goal is to incorporate the pandan flavor in the coconut milk. Then, add the glutinous rice to cook. Make sure to use gently heat as the coconut milk burns in high heat. (We also do not want to have scorched rice or tutong at the bottom! HAHA).

Add the coco cream and corn kernels. If the sticky rice became too thick, you can use the syrup from the corn to thin it out a little. Add a lot of sugar to make this treat sweet. Once you get the desired consistency and sweetness, it is now ready!

I usually enjoy my ginataang mais hot or warm, but I heard that this is also fun to eat when chilled.

Paano Magluto ng Ginataang Mais

Mga Sangkap:

• 1 lata ng whole corn kernels
• 1 tasang malagkit na bigas
• 3 tasang tubig
• 400 ml pangalawang piga ng gata
• 1/2 kutsaritang asin
• 1/2 tasang asukal na puti
• 400 ml gata (unang piga)
• dahon ng pandan

Directions:

1. Hugasan ang malagkit na bigas ng ilang beses at ilipat sa bowl. Ibabad ito sa tubig ng 30 minuto saka alisan ng tubig.
2. Maglagay ng tubig sa isang pot. Ilagay ang pangalawang piga ng gata at timplahan ng konting asin. Haluin ito bago ilagay ang dahon ng pandan. Takpan ang kawali at pakuluan ito gamit ang malakas na apoy.
3. Sunod na ilagay ang malagkit na bigas. Takpan ang kawali at lutuin ito ng 15 minuto. Haluin paminsan minsan para hindi masunog. Pagkatapos ng 15 minuto, lalambot na ang bigas.
4. Ibuhos ang buong lata ng mais, asukal at gata. Haluin ng tuloy tuloy at lutuin ng 6 – 8 minuto hanggang lumapot.
5. Kapag nakuha mo na ang tamang lapot nito, patayin ang apoy.
6. 6.      Ilipat ang ginataang mais sa malaking serving bowl. Enjoyin ito bilang meryenda. Yum!