Nothing spells comfort and home cooking than a warm bowl of hearty and savory soup. That is perfect on rainy days when nothing else you can do than sit down by the window and watch raindrops hit the muddy earth.
Our featured recipe is just that, a dish that reminds you of moments where home is the safest place to be in. Most of us enjoyed this dish during the rainy season, where our mothers would want to make sure that we are warming ourselves with nutritious meals.
That is why it is our joy to share with you the things you need to learn in cooking the Best Suam na Mais, a nostalgic dish that is sure to warm, not just your tummies but your hearts as well.
What is Best Suam na Mais
Suam na Mais is the Filipino take on the classic corn broth, but instead of yellow corn, we use white corn kernels. This is because the white corn variety produces a thicker broth consistency due to its higher starch concentration.
A glance at the dish is sure to make you crave for it. The golden-colored broth with all the corn kernels graciously floating with the squash buds is enough to get you through the day. And the warm broth is guaranteed to wipe your gloominess away.
And because of the ingredients included in the dish, which comprises nutrient powerhouse vegetables, we assure you that the Suam na Mais will never lack taste and nutrition.
Ways to Cook for Corn Soup Recipes
Soup dishes are a few recipes in the world that do not require extensive preparation and execution. Most of the time, you only have to drop the ingredients into the pot and let the flames do its job.
But what we did is look for some other ways to cook this dish so that you may have options and see which one suits you better.
Stovetop
The simplest and probably the go-to cooking method of most home cooks. Especially in the Philippines, where the majority of households rely on LPG powered stoves.
The steps in preparing the dish are relatively easy, and you only have to follow the steps indicated in the original recipe. A heavy cooking pot is preferred to retain the heat longer, ensuring that the broth stays warm for a more extended period.
Instant pot
The reliable instant pot is perfect cookware for cooking our featured Filipino recipes. The cooking period is cut half; the ingredients are cooked adequately, and the broth remains warm for an extended period. And it is easier to reheat because of the built-in timer.
The pressure of heat build-up, on which the pressure cooker relies on. When cooking, aids in tenderizing the ingredients faster. And at the same time, the pressure also helps in drawing out the flavors even better.
The instant pot is the modernized version of the pressure cooker, made safer because of the timers.
Pressure cooker
A pressure cooker is often used for tenderizing tough cuts of meat, which require more extended periods of cooking. But with this pressure cooker, the time is significantly reduced. This method is suitable for soups because it gets the job done with almost half of the required time.
The steps are the same, and you have to follow them as is. After putting them all in, the only difference is to cook them for about 20 minutes, releasing pressure from time to time.
Other Delicious Variant
And because of how versatile and straightforward this Filipino recipe is, a ton of variants can be made to suit your palates and what ingredients are readily available at your disposal. To give you an idea, we included some of the most notable variants of this timeless corn soup dish, which you can try at home.
Corn Soup With pork
The meaty flavor that pork provides is an excellent addition for our hearty and flavorful corn broth. Pork belly that is cut thinly also gives an added layer of texture to the dish.
Follow the recipes as indicated, then sautee the thinly sliced pork cuts into the mixture to draw out the oils from it—the pork's natural fats complement the broth's sweetness from the corn kernels.
With ampalaya leaves
If you want a broth packed with nutrients that make you feel healthy and revitalized, adding ampalaya leaves into our dish is the answer. Ampalaya leaves are rich in iron and help people who have diabetes to control their blood sugar level.
Sure, ampalaya leaves are bitter, but that doesn't mean it destroys the broth's flavor. It even adds to the overall taste of the dish, making it a bit more complicated.
Mais With shrimp
Our waters are rich in aquatic life. That is why procuring seafood is never a tough job since a fresh catch is always guaranteed in the wee hours early in the morning, especially in the wet market.
Shrimps have a mild and sweet flavor, making them a perfect addition to our light and flavorful soup. Make sure to have them deveined and unshelled so that only the tender meats are included.
Troubleshooting
This corn dish is simple and easy to prepare for an experienced home cook; however, unfavorable events occur when cooking. But do not worry that much because we have included troubleshooting steps when cooking this dish.
- Runny broths happen when too much liquid is added. So to correct this, add beaten eggs to the broth to thicken it a little.
- If the soup is lackluster in flavor, add freshly cracked black pepper for that extra kick.
Trivia
Corn, which is the main ingredient in our dish, is naturally rich in Vitamin C, strengthening the immune system. It also contains fibers which help in lowering down cholesterol.
Tips
We want you to be more confident in cooking, that is why we have here a few tips in cooking our menu to have more quality output.
- Use yellow corn for sweeter flavor: white corn for a thicker broth.
- Add malunggay leaves for a healthier dish.
Best Served With
Soups are generally served as an appetizer, making it an excellent pair for dishes with a stronger flavor profile. So we listed down some of them here.
- Pata Tim- Pata tim is known to have a very strong and slightly sweet flavor, and its flavorful sauce will be a fitting partner for the mild taste of our menu.
- Calderetang Kambing- The robust, spicy, and creamy flavor of kaldereta contrasts with our broth's light and subtle taste. The slight sweetness of the broth balances the heat of the kaldereta.
- Corned Beef Guisado- The meaty and slightly salty corned beef matches well with the subtle sweetness of our menu.
Conclusion
We're pretty confident that with all the tips, information, and techniques that we have shared, you will be able to recreate and probably come up with your version of this classic and nostalgic Filipino Suam na Mais. Just keep on practicing and experimenting. So until next time, happy cooking.
For more delicious recipe, visit Eat Like Pinoy!
Recipe
Best Suam na Mais Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups Corn shredded
- 2 tails Squash Buds shredded
- 4 cloves Garlic chopped
- 1 pc Onion large, cubed
- ½ cup Shrimp shelled
- 2 cups Shrimp Broth
- ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cooking pan. Saute garlic and onion until golden brown.
- Add the shrimp and the broth then put-in the corn.
- Then sprinkle with black pepper and fish sauce. Cook for about 10 minutes or until shrimp is tender.
- Put-in the squash buds and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Serve while hot. Enjoy!
