VeganMuscogee (Creek) Nation cuisine Starters

Muscogee (Creek) Sofkee

Name: Muscogee (Creek) Sofkee
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Muscogee (Creek) Nation
Ingredients: 2 cups Dried whole corn, cracked; 8 cups Water; 2 tbsp Food-grade wood ash or hominy lye (optional, traditional); 0.5 tsp Salt

A traditional fermented corn drink of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, made from cracked corn and wood ash lye, slowly soured over several days.

🇺🇸United States· Oklahoma

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 90 min
Total: 110 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 120 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 4 gathered

Servings

2 cups Dried whole corn, cracked
8 cups Water
2 tbsp Food-grade wood ash or hominy lye (optional, traditional)
½ tsp Salt

Equipment

•Large pot
•Fine strainer

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 120 kcal
fat: 1
carbs: 26
protein: 3
calories: 120

Instructions

1
If using wood ash, dissolve it in some water and soak the corn for several hours. Rinse the corn thoroughly.
2
Put the cracked corn and fresh water into a large pot.
3
Bring the liquid to a boil on the stovetop. Turn the burner down to a low simmer.
4
Simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring once in a while. Cook until the corn is soft and the liquid thickens slightly.
5
Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
6
Pour into a clean covered container. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 3 days to lightly ferment, stirring daily.
7
Pour through a strainer for a smooth drink, or serve it with the soft corn.
8
Stir in a pinch of salt to taste. Serve it chilled or at room temperature.

Chef's tips

Traditional cooks use wood ash to loosen the corn skins, just like hominy (hulled dried corn kernels). You can skip the ash and simmer longer instead. Taste it daily and refrigerate once it reaches your favorite mild sour flavor.

Storage

Refrigerate in a covered container up to 5 days once fermentation reaches the desired level.

Reheating

Traditionally served cool or at room temperature; not typically reheated.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Fermenting too long in a warm room, making the flavor unpleasantly sour
•Skipping the ash soak without adding extra simmer time, which leaves the corn hard