Ruigas

In my small kitchen, filled with snacks and treats of every kind to satisfy every craving, lives my country. Sometimes, the simplest recipes reveal that the phrase comfort food doesn't quite capture the beauty of a meal. Riguas are often remembered in El Salvador as a humble food that grew in popularity during the Salvadoran Civil War (1979–1992), the era in which the women who filled my kitchen grew up. But to them, riguas represent home, plain and simple—the mountains where corn grows abundantly and became a staple of the country's cuisine.

It's a simple dish. There isn't much to it beyond corn, butter, salt and banana leaves. Yet, to the women in my kitchen—including me—it is a source of pride. My mother, Yanira, has an arsenal of recipes, and yet this one remains her favorite.

"It makes the house smell good, and one thing about corn... the smell lingers," she told me when I asked what she loved most about the dish.

In that small kitchen, the sharp sound of the ends being cut from each ear of corn gives way to the sweet yellow kernels hidden beneath the husk. The freshly ground corn is wrapped in banana leaves, where it toasts until it is ready to eat. Whether you dress it up or keep it simple, there's no denying that its humble flavors have a way of reminding you of home.

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Ruiguas (Corn Patties)

Yield 4

Author Alexandria Flores

Prep time

10 Min

Cook time

15 Min

Total time

25 Min

A simple yet delicious snack, every ingredient shines through in this classic Salvadorian snack.

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Ingredients

• 6 husks of fresh sweet corn
• Two sticks of unsalted butter
• One pint of whole milk
• Salt To Taste
• Banana Leaves*

Optional ingredients

• Central american sour cream
• Queso Duro*

Instructions

1. Peel the husk of the corn to reveal the kernels
2. Cut the ends of the corn
3. Grab your knife, touch the top of the cob, and cut downward; repeat until only the body of the corn is left and a majority of the kernels are off
4. In a small mixing bowl, add the kernels, butter, milk, and salt to taste and mix together
5. Incorporate the mixture into the food processor and pulsate until the mixture has turned into a dough-like texture
6. Wash and dry your banana leaves (Simple dish soap will suffice)
7. Pre-heat your griddle for 5 minutes until it is hot-to-touch
8. Get your griddle and toast leaves for 5 minutes or until leaves start turning from a dark green to a light green
9. Grab an individual banana leaf, and put a oil spoon amount of mixture into the middle of the banana leaf
10. Place folded leaf on the griddle and leave for fifteen minutes; repeat on the other side
11. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: When shopping for banana leaves remember to get full and fresh banana leaves as they will not break during the stuffing process, dry leaves will crack and create an uneven taste  

Note: 2 Normally this cheese is found in specialty Central American stores, this cheese is hard, salty, and dried-aged always found in the form of a brick.