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Sekai Gohan

Acaçá: Bahian White Corn Dough Set in Banana Leaf

Finished acaçá de leite: small white parcels wrapped in banana leaf
Steps with photos

Ingredients

Ingredient Amount Role
White corn kernels (milho branco), for the dough 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) Soaked and fermented, then ground into the dough
Water (água), for soaking 4¼ cups (1 L), plus fresh water for each change Covers the corn during fermentation
Acaçá dough (massa de acaçá), from the corn above 9 oz (250 g) The body of the parcels
Water (água), for cooking 2 cups (500 ml) Brought to a boil before the dough goes in
Whole milk (leite integral) 4¼ cups (1 L) Flavor and body
Sugar (açúcar) 7 oz (200 g) Sweetness
Salt (sal) To taste Balances the sweetness
Banana leaves (folha de bananeira) As needed Wrapping

Steps

  1. 1Wash and soak the white corn

    Rinse 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) of white corn kernels in water. Put them in a clean container and pour in 4¼ cups (1 L) of water. Use a container big enough that the kernels stay fully under water, and cover it. When every kernel is submerged, the soak has started.

  2. 2Change the water through day ten

    On day three, pour off the soaking water and cover the corn with fresh water. After that, change the water every two days. Keep the corn fully covered each time. By day ten the fermentation is where it should be and the corn is ready to grind.

  3. 3Grind the corn into dough and refrigerate it

    Drain the corn and put it in a blender with some water, then blend until it turns into a thick, pale batter. A grain mill does the same job. Move the dough into a sealed container, pour water over it, and refrigerate it.

  4. 4Cook the dough in boiling water

    Bring 2 cups (500 ml) of water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Add 9 oz (250 g) of the dough and turn the heat to low. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon and reach the bottom and corners of the pan with every pass. Move on as soon as the cloudy liquid starts to thicken.

  5. 5Add the milk, sugar and salt

    Once it has started to thicken, pour in 4¼ cups (1 L) of whole milk. Add 7 oz (200 g) of sugar and salt to taste. Keep stirring over low heat so the milk does not catch on the bottom. The paste thins out when the milk goes in, then slowly thickens again.

  6. 6Cook until it foams and pulls away from the pan

    Keep stirring over low heat until the paste foams. Drag the spoon across the bottom of the pan every so often. The paste is done when it comes away from the pan bottom and leaves a clean patch behind the spoon. At that point it is thick and glossy.

    Never stop stirring

    Milk and starch scorch fast over direct heat. Keep the heat low and the spoon moving from the moment the dough goes into the water until the paste comes off the pan.

  7. 7Cut the leaves and wrap while hot

    Have the banana leaves cut into squares before the paste is done. Spoon a portion of hot paste onto each square. Fold the leaf over it into a neat rectangular parcel, and keep going while the pot is still hot. The paste should fold in soft and smooth, before it starts to firm up in the pan.

    Wrap hot

    Acaçá sets as it cools. Paste that cools in the pot will not fold into a smooth parcel, so wrap it all while it is hot.

  8. 8Cool until set and serve

    Leave the parcels to cool and set. Open one to check. The inside should be smooth, white and firm enough to hold its shape. Serve them with coffee.