I’ve mentioned this many, many times: For such a small country this one has so many regional variations in its cuisine that it’s entirely possible to reach adulthood without trying something that is a staple on the other side of the country.
Meet exhibit one: Aunt Clara.
I was born in the northwest of the Dominican Republic, and it wasn’t until I was an adult that I even heard of this dish. What a shame!
This dish hails from the southwest, the opposite point of my family’s place of origin, and although northwestern cuisine has been influenced by neighboring Haiti (notably the use of thyme in our cuisine, which seems very rare outside the region), the Haitian influence in the southwest is even stronger. Chenchén is a dish that the Dominican Republic has in common with Haiti (with some differences in ingredients, I believe, and a different name, mais moulu).
Please do not confuse it with chacá, a corn-based dessert, also from the southwest.
If I had a penny for every time someone wrote to me requesting we added this recipe, I’d have… exactly 13 cents. Not a lot, mind you, but the point is: this recipe, although unknown to me for a long time seems to be very popular among our readers. And I can see why.
In the photo above I served it with Bacalao a la criolla (Codfish a la Dominicana), a staple of Lent cuisine in our country.
Aunt Clara
This dish originates from the southwest provinces of the Dominican Republic and is a delicious substitute for rice in our diet.
Ingredients
- 3 cups peeled, cracked corn
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil or butter
- 5 cups of vegetable broth
- Salt
Instructions
- Rinse the corn in abundant water to get rid of stray peels and excess starch.
- Soak the corn in abundant water for two hours. Drain all the water before cooking.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil or butter over low heat.
- Add the cracked corn and cook and stir until it changes to a darker yellow color.
- Add broth and cook over medium heat until all the liquid has evaporated.
- Remove from the heat and cover. Let it settle for 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and serve (it should be "al dente")
- Serve with chivo guisado or meat or fish dish of your choice.
Notes
I have encountered several variations of this dish, probably due to different family traditions. Some people add milk to it, some add coconut milk. You can try these by substituting half the broth for milk or coconut milk.
Cracked corn is available under different names. For example, the type used for chacá is a bigger grain than the one used for this dish. You can find the finer one needed for this dish under the names "crushed corn" and "coarse cornmeal" or "coarse ground cornmeal".
Aunt Clara's Kitchen is a collection of traditional Dominican and Dominican-inspired recipes, home ideas, crafts, and the chronicles of Aunt Clara and Aunt Ilana's adventures.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I love chenchen, Me being dominican ; can relate to many typical foods. I ♥ chenchen as i said before and i woul love if you put the ingredients of the cake tres leche and more food.
These recipes are already here. Just do a quick search and delight yourself.
.I'm from San Juan de la Maguana and when I was a kid my mother made chen-chen at least once a week. I left my home town almost 60 (sixty) years ago and live in the U,S for about 45 years, it is two years, more or less, that I ate chen chen when a lady friend of mine, marry to a haitian, cooked it and invited me for diner, it was delicious and I enjoyed it, I also love majarete and chaca'.
Thank you aunt Clara, keep the good work.
Well, maybe you can now have it more often, it is a very easy dish to make. Thanks for sharing your story.
Aunt Clara, never imagined that cracked corn can be used to make pilaf! How exciting! Was the corn you used dry (since you soak it). I mean it's not the soft fresh variety, right? I love your bamboo utensils.. but a question..
How do you maintain them daily.. keep them shining and all.. dont they absorb the water?
Yes, it is dry (like in the second picture).
Bamboo utensils have to be hand-washed with cold water and air dried ASAP after use. Eventually they don't look so shiny but are still fully functional.
Hi,
Can I make Chenchén with coarse corn meal?
MY FAMILY IS FRON SAN JAUN DE LA MAGUANA, D.R. THEY LOVE CHENCHEN