🌽☀️ Corn season is here — golden, sweet, and full of possibilities! One of summer’s true delights, from husk to kernel, nothing goes to waste — the Grandma Sita way! Whether grilled, tossed into salads, or baked into a comforting Pastel de Choclo 
(Chilean corn pie), corn is one of summer’s sweetest gifts.
Pastel de Choclo is a traditional Chilean dish enjoyed during the summer. Often baked in clay dishes in wood-fired ovens — especially in rural areas — it combines a delicious savoury filling with the natural sweetness of fresh corn. Uses humero corn, common in Chile but rare elsewhere. It has uneven kernels — neat rows indicate the wrong variety. The husk is tough, and pricking it releases a milky liquid.
Cooking Challenge – A Grandchild in My Kitchen is Grandma Sita’s joyful initiative that brings generations together to reinvent traditional family dishes with a plant-based twist — blending heritage, creativity, and care for the planet in every recipe. Join us!
Plant-Based Recipe Highlight — Pastel de Choclo (Corn Pie)
Enjoy a Chilean classic with a sweet corn purée topping over a savoury mix of mushrooms, onions, and seasonal veggies. This comforting, meat-free dish is nutritious and full of summer flavours.
METHOD
For the filling:
1. Wash all vegetables well. Chop the bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, and zucchini.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a pot. Sauté the chopped onion until soft, then add all the vegetables, paprika, salt, pepper, and cumin. Mix well and cook over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally.
For the corn mixture:
1. Using a hand blender, blend the corn with the oat drink and basil. Don’t make it too smooth — leave some texture. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
2. Transfer the mixture to a pot with vegetable oil and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 10–15 minutes. The consistency should be thick and firm. Taste and adjust seasoning. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
To assemble the pie:
1. Spread a layer of the prepared veggie filling in a clay or baking dish.
2. Cover with the corn mixture. Sprinkle with granulated sugar for a beautiful golden crust (optional).
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 45–60 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.
4. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a fresh tomato salad — and enjoy!
Grandma Sita’s Zero-Waste Corn Tips
Enjoy fresh corn on the cob — grilled, baked, boiled, or steamed. Freeze kernels (blanch first) to use later in soups, salads, or stir-fries. Dry the husks — they’re perfect for tamales or natural crafts. Compost the cobs if you can’t reuse them.Enjoy fresh corn on the cob — grilled, baked, boiled, or steamed.
Storage Tips:
Keep fresh corn in the fridge with the husks on to lock in moisture. Eat within 2–3 days for peak sweetness. For longer storage, blanch, cut, and freeze the kernels.
Health Bonus:
Corn is naturally gluten-free and a great source of fibre, B vitamins, and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin (which support eye health). It also provides slow-release carbohydrates that keep you energised on warm summer days.
Did You Know?
Botanically speaking, corn (or maize) is a cereal grain — but each kernel is actually a seed! Corn is one of the world’s oldest cultivated crops, first domesticated in Mexico over 9,000 years ago. Today, beyond classic yellow sweetcorn, there are dozens of varieties — white, red, blue, and even purple 
— each with its own flavour, texture, and cultural traditions.
Eat Seasonally, Cook Creatively, Waste Less
Eating seasonally, cooking creatively, and using every part of your ingredients means less waste, more flavour, and more joy — the Grandma Sita way.
INGREDIENTS
For the filling
1 large onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 tray of mushrooms, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 tbsp oregano (to taste)
½ tsp ground cumin (to taste)
1 tbsp sweet paprika powder (to taste)
Salt & black pepper (to taste)
Olives and raisins (optional)
Tip: The filling can be prepared the day before.
For the corn mixture
8 large ears of fresh or frozen corn
20 g fresh basil
230 ml oat drink (or any plant-based milk)
Vegetable oil (amount depends on the corn size)
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
METHOD
For the filling:
1. Wash all vegetables well. Chop the bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, and zucchini.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a pot. Sauté the chopped onion until soft, then add all the vegetables, paprika, salt, pepper, and cumin. Mix well and cook over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally.
For the corn mixture:
1. Using a hand blender, blend the corn with the oat drink and basil. Don’t make it too smooth — leave some texture. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
2. Transfer the mixture to a pot with vegetable oil and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 10–15 minutes. The consistency should be thick and firm. Taste and adjust seasoning. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
To assemble the pie:
1. Spread a layer of the prepared veggie filling in a clay or baking dish.
2. Cover with the corn mixture. Sprinkle with granulated sugar for a beautiful golden crust (optional).
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 45–60 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.
4. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a fresh tomato salad — and enjoy!
Grandma Sita’s Zero-Waste Corn Tips
Enjoy fresh corn on the cob — grilled, baked, boiled, or steamed. Freeze kernels (blanch first) to use later in soups, salads, or stir-fries. Dry the husks — they’re perfect for tamales or natural crafts. Compost the cobs if you can’t reuse them.Enjoy fresh corn on the cob — grilled, baked, boiled, or steamed.
Storage Tips:
Keep fresh corn in the fridge with the husks on to lock in moisture. Eat within 2–3 days for peak sweetness. For longer storage, blanch, cut, and freeze the kernels.
Health Bonus:
Corn is naturally gluten-free and a great source of fibre, B vitamins, and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin (which support eye health). It also provides slow-release carbohydrates that keep you energised on warm summer days.
Did You Know?
Botanically speaking, corn (or maize) is a cereal grain — but each kernel is actually a seed! Corn is one of the world’s oldest cultivated crops, first domesticated in Mexico over 9,000 years ago. Today, beyond classic yellow sweetcorn, there are dozens of varieties — white, red, blue, and even purple — each with its own flavour, texture, and cultural traditions.
Eat Seasonally, Cook Creatively, Waste Less
Eating seasonally, cooking creatively, and using every part of your ingredients means less waste, more flavour, and more joy — the Grandma Sita way.
