Cuitlacoche

Taco with cuitlacoche

Cuitlacoche (also huitlacoche ) is a specialty of Mexican cuisine , which consists of corn kernels infected with the fungus Ustilago maydis (disease: corn bite ) . The grains swell due to the parasite infestation and turn black. The Aztecs allegedly scratched corn kernels to make them easier to attack.

In China, a related mushroom that attacks grains of rice is consumed, as is Angkak or Japanese Kōji (red rice) , which is common in parts of East Asia .

Web links

Commons : Ustilago maydis  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

• Recipes
• Smuts on the Internet (1998)
• Subjective experience report with photos