Ecuadorian White Hominy Recipes

Mote Pillo, Mote Sucio, Mote Pata Combine White Corn, Eggs and Meat

© Kari Miller

Jan 9, 2009

Mote is commonly found in soups or as a side dish, such as mote pillo, mote sucio and mote pata. These Ecuadorian hominy dishes are commonly found throughout the Andean mountains, since hominy is a staple food for the people of this region.

Mote pillo

Traditionally from Cuenca, in the south of Ecuador, mote pillo is often served with coffee or a thick slice of fresh farmer’s cheese. It makes a satisfying breakfast dish.

Ingredients

• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbs butter or maragarine
• 1 tbs achiote (annatto oil, also known throughout Ecuador as color)
• ½ tbs cumin
• 1 tbs garlic, minced
• 2 tbs salt (or to taste)
• 6 eggs
• 1 lb. (500 grams) mote (hominy), cooked
• Parsely for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large frying pan, add the achiote oil. Vegetable oil can be substituted, but you will lose the deep orange color of the dish. Add the onion, butter, cumin, garlic and salt. Fry on low heat until the onion is cooked and transparent.
2. Add the hominy and mix the ingredients well.
3. Add the eggs, stirring the entire mixture together unti everything is well-coated. Cook on low heat until the eggs are set, about 4 minutes.
4. Garnish with parsley. Serve warm.

Mote sucio (“Dirty” hominy)

Essentially hominy mixed with chicharrón (fried pork fat, which gives the dish its brown or “dirty” appearance), mote sucio can be found all along the Ecuadorian Andes.

Ingredients

• 7 tbs chicharrón (fried pork fat)
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbs garlic, minced
• 100 grams mote (hominy)

Preparation

1. Put the chicharrón, lard, cumin, pepper, salt and garlic in a large saucepan.
2. Cook the chicharrón and spices in the lard over medium heat until heated through.
3. Add the cooked hominy, mix well and serve. Some people may prefer to scoop the chicharrón from the pot and add it to the hominy, mixing it from there so that the dish is not too greasy.

Mote pata

Also from the south of Ecuador (Cuenca to Loja), mote pata is a soupy hominy dish made with sausage and meat.

Ingredients

• 2 white onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbs butter or margarine
• 1 tbs garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbs salt
• 1 tbs achiote (annatto oil, or color)
• 8 oz. (250 grams) toasted peanuts (peanut butter can be substituted)
• 4 cups (1 liter) boiled milk
• 1 lb. (500 grams) hominy
• 6 oz. (200 grams) longaniza sausage (fresh chorizo)
• ¾ lb. (400 grams) beef
• 1 lb. (500 grams) hominy
• 1 cube beef bouillon

Preparation

1. Make the base by frying the butter, onion, garlic, cumin, pepper and salt in the achiote oil. Fry on medium heat until the onion is cooked through and transparent.
2. In a separate pan, fry the longaniza sausage.
3. Grind the peanuts and then combine the peanuts (or peanut butter, if using) with the milk in a blender.
4. Fill a pressure cooker halfway with water. Add some salt. Cut the beef into smaller pieces and cook in the pressure cooker until tender.
5. Add the hominy to the meat broth and boil until soft. Once the hominy is ready, add the onion and spice base, then the blended peanut sauce. Boil about five minutes more and add the beef bouillon and boil about two to three minutes more.
6. Serve hot.

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