Cancha is a popular snack in the Andean countries, often served alongside ceviche. It's a popcorn made from a special variety of corn called maiz chulpe. The pointy kernels pop when heated, and will even jump right out of the skillet, but the inside of the corn do not burst out and puff up like regular popcorn. Instead, cancha corn gets slightly puffy and toasted, like corn nuts, and it has a starchy crunchy taste that is quite addictive.
Cancha is easy and quick to prepare. All you need is a little vegetable oil and some salt, and a skillet with a lid. You can find maiz chulpe at Latin markets and online.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups cancha kernels
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Preparation:
- Heat oil in the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add corn kernels and heat, shaking pan from time to time, until kernels start to pop.
- Cover kernels loosely with a lid so that they don't fly out of the pan and continue to cook, shaking pan more frequently, until the kernels have stopped popping and are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and toss corn with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store cancha in an air-tight container.
