Argentine Andean Corn Porridge

Anchi is a traditional sweet corn porridge from Argentina’s Andean Northwest, prepared mainly in the provinces of Salta and Jujuy using cracked white corn that’s slow-cooked into a thick, fragrant porridge. Its roots trace back to the Indigenous communities of the Puna highlands and the Quebrada de Humahuaca, where corn has been a dietary staple for centuries.

This dessert, conceptually similar to other Andean corn preparations like Bolivian api, is traditionally sweetened with cane syrup or chancaca and scented with cinnamon and cloves. It’s especially enjoyed during the colder months as a comforting dish that many households across Argentina’s Northwest still prepare using recipes passed down through generations.

Argentine Andean Corn Porridge

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• Author: Recetas123
• Prep Time: 15
• Resting time: 480
• Cook Time: 85
• Total Time: 580
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: Argentina (Northwest / NOA)

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 300 g of cracked white corn (hominy-style corn) (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 liters of water (8 cups)
• 180 g of cane syrup or grated panela (chancaca) (3/4 cup)
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 3 of whole cloves
• peel of 1 orange of orange peel (optional)
• to taste of salt

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Instructions

1. Soak the corn, place the cracked white corn in a large bowl, cover it with water, and let it soak overnight (about 8 hours) so it softens and cooks faster later on.
2. Cook the corn, drain the soaked corn, transfer it to a large pot with the 2 liters of fresh water, and cook over medium-low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the kernels are tender and have released their starch, slightly thickening the liquid.
3. Add the aromatics, stir in the cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel, and keep cooking over low heat for 15 more minutes so the porridge picks up its characteristic aroma.
4. Sweeten and thicken, remove the cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel, stir in the cane syrup or grated chancaca along with the salt, and cook, stirring frequently, for another 10 minutes until you get a thick, porridge-like consistency similar to a corn pudding.
5. Serve, take the anchi off the heat and serve it warm in individual bowls, just as it’s traditionally enjoyed in homes across northern Argentina.

Practical Tips

• If you can’t find cracked corn, use whole white corn kernels, soak them longer, and lightly crush them before cooking.
• Stir often toward the end of cooking to keep the anchi from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Adjust the amount of cane syrup to taste; some families prefer it less sweet and lean more on the cinnamon for flavor.
• If the anchi thickens too much as it cools, loosen it with a splash of hot water before serving.

How to Enjoy This Dish

Anchi is traditionally served warm, in individual bowls, as a comforting dish for cold mornings or afternoons in the Andean winter. It’s usually enjoyed on its own, letting the flavor of the corn and cane syrup take center stage.

Recommended sides

• Anchi is traditionally enjoyed on its own, without any accompaniments, since it’s a complete dish by itself.

Origins and Tradition

Corn has been a sacred food for Andean Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, and anchi is a living example of how that culinary heritage endures in Argentina’s Northwest. Its unhurried preparation reflects the slower pace of life in the Puna and the Quebrada de Humahuaca, where corn-based dishes still hold a central place at the family table.