Canjica (dish)
Canjica, mugunzá or mungunzá is a Brazilian sweet dish, associated with winter festivals, which in Brazil is in June.
The dish is a porridge made with white de-germed whole maize kernels, cooked with milk, sugar and cinnamon until tender. Coconut and coconut milk as well as some cloves are also added, mainly in the northern variety of this recipe. Other ingredients may be added, such as peanuts and sweetened condensed milk.
The name canjica is prevalent in central-southern Brazil, while mugunzá is used in the northern states. Both words come from the Kikongo and/or Kimbundu languages, where they refer to similar grain porridges.
This food is of Indigenous influence.
In Colombia and other Latin American countries, one dish similar to canjica cooked corn, known as mazamorra, is widespread in the traditional cuisine.
