Mexican gastronomy has a legacy in many of its dishes and the chongos from Zamora are an example of the tradition in recipes that you pass down from generation to generation. The origin of the word “chongo” comes from Nahuatl, specifically from the word “tzontli”, which means “hair” and refers to the milk that is cut when curdling and then cooked again. This causes the pieces to twist a bit and take the shape of knots or bows similar to those made by people with long hair. Also, “chongo” means “bow” or “pompadour”. In this way, this Mexican dessert is made with milk, sugar and cinnamon and is attributed to the convents of the viceregal era, in the city of Zamora de Hidalgo, Michoacán.
There are many stories about the true origin of the Zamorano chongos. Some mention that, due to the enormous milk production in the area at the time of the viceroyalty, it was necessary to curdle it to preserve it better and with it to be able to make cheeses. At this point, it is said that some peasants from the region mistakenly added sugar instead of salt to the preparation of the cheese, resulting in the dessert. Although it is not known for sure what the real reason for its creation was, it is known that it has an extremely delicious flavor.
As it is a dessert that does not require much preparation, various companies began to make it industrially to market it canned. However, there is nothing like enjoying it fresh and in this article we share how to make Zamoran chongos at home and without rennet, since they are not usually sold in all places. Keep reading and discover the step by step!
Ingredients to make Zamorano Chongos:
- 2 liters of whole milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 lemons (the juice)
- 1 cup of sugar (200 grams)
- 2 tablespoons of grated piloncillo
How to make Zamorano Chongos:
- To make the zamorano chongos you will need a lot of patience, since it will take about two hours to obtain this dessert.
- Begin by warming the milk with the cinnamon, sugar and piloncillo.
- Trick: Avoid the boiling point.
- When it is lukewarm, gradually add the lemon juice, mix slightly, turn off the heat and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes you will notice that the milk has curdled a bit, so turn the heat back on and let it cook for 2 hours over low heat and without stirring.
- During all this time you will notice that the milk will begin to release a whey, it will look like water, but do not panic because this is completely normal.
- When the 2 hours have passed, remove the preparation from the heat and strain the chongos, but without discarding the whey because you will use it.
- So, once strained, serve them in individual containers and add a little whey on top. And ready! Enjoy this traditional dessert.
- Although it takes time, the rennetless chongos zamoranos recipe is very easy to make because you hardly need to stir the preparation.
- You can decorate with a cinnamon stick.
