“Rainy days are coming!” What better time to sip a hot and creamy Suam na Mais than these times when the breeze turns a bit colder when evening approaches.
You know about corn soups, but not everyone knows how to prepare them as we do in the Philippines.
And even if you are a Filipino, not everyone, especially those who grew up in cities and fast-food diets, that we can cook it with leafy greens and meats.
To cook Suam na Mais is relatively easy. Depending on the corn you will use and prepare, the result can either have a creamy soup or a flavorful broth.
Ingredients for Suam na Mais Recipe
NOTE: Check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the exact measurements.
Although we can use the yellow corn variant, keep in mind that the best corn variant to produce the best Filipino corn soup is the glutenous corn, aka the wax corn or Lagkitan as we call it.
Either with husks or bare, purchasing this corn is worth ₱50 per kilo, at least at the time of this writing. You can also take home nine to eleven pieces, depending on their sizes.
I bought two kilos of medium-sized corns with husks, so I took away nine of them.
According to some traditions experts, while some would use chicken or pork meat for their recipes, the Suam na Mais is traditionally cooked with Bagoong Alamang and procedures that might take you beyond an hour of cooking.
Hearty Tongue will feature those types of corn soup cooking in future posts.
Right now, we will omit Bagoong Alamang in this recipe. Also, we will reduce the prep and cooking time.
We’ll use shrimps, shrimp broth cube, and a bunch of Dahon ng Ampalaya (bitter gourd leaves) together with the essential aromatics, i.e., minced garlic and chopped onion.
I will assume that some readers of this article are newbies in home cooking. So I have to be clear with some instructions:
- Ensure to peel off the shells and devein the shrimps before cooking.
- Some people might find it unpalatable when the Suam na Mais turn out to be more bitter than expected. So, as for the Dahon ng Ampalaya, we only need the leaves (Dahon) and use them sparingly. It usually sells for ₱10 for each bundle, leaves still attached with the vines wrapped with a rubber band.
See how simple the ingredients we have here? Do not worry; it will still leave us with a hearty Filipino corn soup.
RELATED: We’re guessing that you like soups. You can also check the other recipes, like the Chicken Sopas, Beef Mami, and Misua Soup with Patola and Chicken. We know you’ll love it too!
What Tools Needed
- Cooking pot with lid
- Santoku and a regular knife
- Chopping board
- Any deep food bowl for the corn
- Stainless steel spoon, we’ll use for scraping
- Cooking spoon and spatula
Suam na Mais with Shrimp-Filipino Corn Soup
Description
Not all Filipinos know how to cook Suam na Mais prepared with Shrimp and leafy greens like Dahon ng ampalaya (bitter gourd leaves), but now, you're about to.
Ingredients
Suam na Mais Ingredients
Instructions
Instruction on How to Cook the Suam na Mais
-
Preparing the Corn
- Prepare a clean bowl where we will keep the sliced corn kernels.
- Hold the corn with its tip facing you, or let it stand and, with a Santoku knife (or any sharp knife), slice off the kernels from the ear of the corn.
- After slicing off all the kernels, take a spoon and scrape off all the pulps on each cob, that is, the white and moist part that remains after slicing off the kernels.
- We don't need the cobs anymore. Set aside the corn kernels and pulps.
Be very careful using sharp knives. -
As we Advance to our Suam na Mais Recipe
- Heat the pot with a tablespoon of oil.
- Saute aromatics, i.e., garlic to a golden brown and onion until translucent.
- Add shrimp, stir for a bit and cover the pot.
- If you have started with a full flame, adjust the heat to a medium and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Remove the shrimp and set it aside.
- Put the shrimp broth cube, stir until it melts.
- Add in the corn kernels and pulps we set aside a while ago. Mix,
- Pour in the water. Cover the pot. Bring the ingredients to a boil faster by turning to full the stove's heat. (It occurs within 5 minutes. When boiling starts, you will notice scums will start to float around the surface; remove them.)
- Turn the heat to a medium again and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Put in the fish sauce, salt, ampalaya leaves and bring back the shrimps in the pot. Stir well.
- Simmer for 3 more minutes.
- Our Suam na Mais AKA Ginisang Mais is now ready.
We have an option to sprinkle some chopped spring onions before serving. Serve hot and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 226kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 9.7g15%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Cholesterol 53mg18%
- Sodium 1005mg42%
- Potassium 261mg8%
- Total Carbohydrate 26g9%
- Dietary Fiber 3.1g13%
- Sugars 2.6g
- Protein 12g24%
- Calcium 4 mg
- Iron 3 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Suam na Mais, Ginisang Mais, or whatever it might be called, still we will agree that it is indeed a Filipino Corn Soup that's creamy and delicious!
I hope enjoyed our hearty recipe.
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