Cook It! Hearty White Corn Soup with Moringa

Thursday, May 24, 2012 Jonette 0 Comments

Corn. I love corn.

When I was in college, my trips to the UP Physics Building often meant a chance to sneak out and buy a pack of Japanese Sweet Corn and bring it home. It tore a gaping hole in my backpack for sheer size and bulk, but hey, I was bringing three kilos of wholesome deliciousness home, so there.

Then there's grilled sweet corn at stands that dotted the campus. It seems my dad was one of the blessed few who were privy to their locations and hours.

And there's Hominy, or White Corn.

I love White Corn. It's got body and chewiness to it, and boiled long enough, it pops and puffs up and coagulates into a mushy porridge of deliciousness. Add some sugar and grated coconut, and you have some wonderful form of heaven-in-a-bowl called binatog. (Another wonderful recipe for yet another time.)
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I went out to do my wet market run earlier this week, and went home in sleepy-addled glee with a kilo of the stuff nestled in one of my bags. James and I ate well the morning after, and here's how we did so.

You will need:

1 kilo of hominy, or grated white corn, soaked, washed, and drained
2 cups of moringa (or malunggay) leaves. (If you don't have moringa, try it with chili pepper leaves, or chopped spinach.)
3 cups of chicken broth (the bouillon version will do just fine)
a cup of diced onion
a tablespoon of crushed and diced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
pork rinds (optional)

Let's get started!

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Saute the garlic first, then toss the onion in. Saute, saute, saute, and dream of happy days in the warm, inviting smell.