Where to eat Milho frito in Funchal
Maize porridge cooked with kale and garlic, set firm overnight, then cut into cubes and deep fried until the outside crackles and the middle stays soft. Madeira's answer to a chip.
The story of Milho frito
Maize arrived on Madeira from the Americas and became the cheap staple of the island's terraces. Cooked as a thick polenta with couve, the local kale, and garlic, it fed families on almost nothing. Setting the porridge and frying it the next day turned leftovers into something better than the original. Milho frito now arrives beside espetada and grilled fish on almost every Funchal menu, in cubes about the size of a large dice.
How to make Milho frito
Serves: Serves 6
Ingredients
- 250g fine maize flour
- 1.2 litres water
- 150g kale or cabbage, very finely shredded
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 30g butter
- Sunflower oil for deep frying
Method
- Bring the water to the boil with the salt, garlic and shredded kale and simmer for 10 minutes until the greens are soft.
- Lower the heat and rain in the maize flour in a thin stream, whisking hard so no lumps form.
- Cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Beat in the butter, then pour into a shallow tray to a depth of about 3cm and level the surface.
- Cool, then refrigerate overnight until completely firm.
- Cut into 3cm cubes and deep fry at 180C in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until the outsides are crisp and deep gold.
- Drain on kitchen paper and salt lightly before serving.
Editor tip. The porridge has to be properly firm before it is cut, so give it a full night. Cubes cut warm will fall apart in the oil.
The editor picks for Milho frito in Funchal are still in research. Meanwhile, see the Funchal signature-dishes index or the Funchal food guide.