Green Corn Custard (Curau) Is a Tasty Option for Festa Junina | Press

A classic June ingredient brings the umami taste to your festa junina.

June 2019 – When June arrives, all of Brazil gets excited. With the arraiá (June festival) knocking at the door, it’s time to prepare the decorations and gather the best traditional Festa Junina recipes. Considered the country’s second-largest celebration—second only to Carnival—the festivity was brought by the Portuguese during the colonial period.

The date also features some of Brazilians’ most beloved ingredients, one of them being corn—an ingredient that delivers the umami taste, one of the five basic tastes of the human palate alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. According to Marília Zagato, nutritionist at the Umami Committee, corn is a great choice because it’s easy to find and pleases all palates. “Like other foods that provide umami, corn enhances the flavor of preparations,” she explains.

For the celebration, Marília shares a recipe for traditional green corn curau—a delicious treat to make and enjoy.

TRADITIONAL GREEN CORN CURAU

Ingredients

• 8 medium ears of green corn (1.1 kg)
• 3 cups milk (750 ml)]
• 2 cups sugar (350 g)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• Ground cinnamon to taste (for sprinkling)

Directions

1. Cut the kernels off the cobs using a coarse grater or a sharp knife. Place all the pulp in a blender cup, add half of the milk, and blend on high for 3 minutes, or until very smooth. Strain through a sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
2. Transfer the strained liquid to a saucepan and add the remaining milk, sugar, and butter.
3. Place the sieved mixture in a saucepan and add the milk, sugar, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened to a custard-like consistency.
4. Remove from the heat, transfer to a serving bowl, and sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. Refrigerate until set. Serve chilled.

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by the Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.