Receipes; Indian Corn

[meetmaker]

Maize or Corn has a long history with the peoples of North and South America. From cobs small as grass heads to all the varieties today, Corn has always been a staple of the economy. In some cultures Corn had spiritual meaning. A harvest of Corn would often mean the difference between life and death. Daniel Boone administered Frontier justice in a case of theft of corn from a native.
What passes as Indian corn now a days is this multi-colored variety pictured. Surprisingly, some people believe this to be inedible, that even deer wouldn't eat it. That is not the case. Ground it makes a delicious flour and deer will pass a field of matured sweet corn and a crop of field corn to eat this stuff.
The variety pictured is hardy, vigorous and genetically diverse. Reaching fifteen feet high with multiple large ears it is very impressive. Not just the grain but the husks would have had value as fuel, insulation or mixed with clay as a plaster, for examples. The stalks when the leaves are removed provide a straight strong pole over an inch in diameter. Lashed together as mats or bundles they would make good building material.
The grain does make a delicious meal. Natives would render bear fat to oil and mix that with the ground corn to make cakes. Cooked on a hot stone near a fire it is an acquired taste. Try this instead.
I grind kernels in a food processor to a light flour similar to enriched white flour. I don't sift, but you may. Mix the dry together, 1 and 1/4 cups of enriched white flour, 3/4 cup of corn meal, 1/3 cup white sugar, 2 lightly heaped teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix the liquids, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil ( or bear fat ) and 2 eggs. Mix all together, pour into a 8 or 9 inch pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Good with many foods but warm with butter and honey is hard to beat.
Two seasons ago friends planted about two acres of this corn. This last season they doubled the acreage. The crop was so popular there is talk of doubling the acreage next year. A hobbyist gardener would also find it fun to genetically manipulate their own variety. Give it a try!

[fishingandfirearms]

I always wondered what use Indian corn had other than decoration. Thanks for the info.

[Buckeye]

Awesome, I always had an affinity for Indian corn...every fall I buy more and have it hanging all over my house, never tried to eat it although I was aware you could, may have to give your recipe a shot!
It's also pretty cool how they now offer blue,etc... tortilla chips.

I have an old recipe for Indian fry bread made with cornmeal, I'll see if I can find it, scrumptious.
Thanks for sharing!

[meetmaker]

Buckeye, if you find that recipe could you post it here...you had me hooked at scrumptious..

[joshuaream]

A staple in the diet of people from the plains of Venezuela and Colombia is a corn pancake called a Cachapa. There is something similar in Costa Rica and Nicaragua called a Chorreada.

Take a couple ears of fresh (not dry) corn, cut the kernels off and scrape the cob with the back of the knife to get the liquid. Mix in a meat grinder or large mortar (I use a food processor but it cuts the corn vs crushing it) and mix with a small amount of corn flour to bind it, and cook it like a pancake. If you get the right corn it is like a sweet pancake, if not a couple spoons of honey or molasses makes it sweet. If you use the grinder, you won't need the extra flour but many people like to add some regular white flour to make them fluffier and reduce the cost of the corn.

I take friends and colleagues to eat them at a local restaurant in South Florida, and every one of my gringo friends who tries them loves them. (Without the big slab of soft white cheese.)

They aren't easy to find, but if you find a soul food restaurant that serves lard fried johnnycakes or hoecakes and black eyed peas, it will change your life.