Mote Calories

Mote is a staple in parts of the Andean region, especially Ecuador and Peru. Local preparations vary: it may accompany pork, appear in soups, or be cooked with eggs and onions in Ecuadorian mote pillo.

Not always. Both names can refer to corn kernels with the outer hull removed, but North American hominy is commonly made by nixtamalization, an alkaline treatment. Andean mote can be prepared using different varieties and hulling methods.

Rinse dried mote, soak it if possible, then simmer it in plenty of water until the kernels are tender. Cooking time varies with the corn and how dry it is. If your mote is already cooked, simply heat it through.

Mote pillo is an Ecuadorian dish made by cooking boiled mote with eggs, onion, and seasonings. The kernels are warmed in a pan before the eggs are added, making it a common breakfast or hearty side dish.

Mote works well in Andean soups and stews, as a side for roasted or braised meat, or mixed into salads. In Ecuador, mote sucio pairs it with pork and cooking juices; mote pillo combines it with eggs.

Soaking dried mote overnight is helpful, but it is not essential if you have time to simmer it longer. Soaking softens the kernels and makes cooking more even; skip this step for precooked or canned mote.

Mote is ready when its kernels are tender all the way through and easy to chew, without a hard, chalky center. Taste a few kernels near the end of cooking, since different corn varieties soften at different rates.

Cooked mote keeps for about 3–4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Refrigerate it promptly after cooking, and reheat it thoroughly before serving, whether you add it to a soup or warm it in a pan.

Yes, cooked mote freezes well. Let it cool, divide it into portions, and seal it in freezer-safe containers. Thaw it in the refrigerator or add it straight to a simmering soup, then heat until piping hot.