Pozol (Hominy and Pork Stew)
Recipe category
Country
Region
Source
Cocina Tradicional Costarricense 5 - Los Santos y Mora
Ingredients
1
white or yellow corn
3
pig's feet
2
pig heads (using the ears and snout)
1
small carrot
1
chayote
1
cup(s) lime (calcium hydroxide)
2
chopped sweet peppers
1
head(s) chopped garlic
1
large onion, chopped
1
roll(s) chopped cilantro
1
sprig(s) oregano
1
pinch achiote
salt to taste
Directions
- In this recipe, the corn needs to be cooked the day before.
- Place the corn in a pot with sufficient water to cook; it needs to boil quite a bit until it's almost dry.
- Dissolve the lime in water in a container and add it to the corn little by little, being careful not to add the sediment; this procedure is done three to four times, and let it boil for a while so that the corn peels or the husk comes off.
- To check if the corn is ready, take out a spoonful of corn kernels and rub them between your fingers, thus verifying that the husk separates from the grain.
- Then proceed to wash the corn in a container with holes so that the husk and some impurities from the corn come out easily.
- On the day the pozol is prepared: Cook the 3 pig's feet and 2 pig heads (ears and snout) in sufficient water until they are almost soft, chop the ears and snouts into small pieces and discard the water they were cooked in.
- Next, place the corn in a sufficiently large pot until it boils and is almost soft, add the meats (feet, ears, and snouts), add the chayote and carrot in strips, the chopped aromatics (sweet pepper, garlic, onion, cilantro), oregano, achiote, and salt to taste. Let it boil until everything is soft and ready to eat and enjoy.
- Note: This recipe was prepared on a wood stove and the achiote is homemade, therefore it's pure achiote.