Sweet Corn Tomalito

Indeed, this is exactly like Chevy's! I was a bit troubled about the lengthy cooking time and knew it could be accomplished in the microwave in a fraction of the time. These settings and times will differ from microwave to microwave, but I cooked the tomalito, covered, for 7 min. at 30% power and then 4 min. at full power. It came out awesome after only 11 minutes. Experiment, because this stellar recipe warrants being made often! I originally rated this in June 2004 but wanted to make sure new viewers saw my microwave directions because they are soooo easy.

Gorgeous recipe! I cut the sugar to 1/4 cup, substituted butter for the margarine, and used previous reviewers' suggestions for microwaving (7 min. at 30%, 4 min. at 100%). Cutting down the sugar lets us use it as a base for toppings (sliced jalapenos or salsa or seasoned meat) or even as a filling for tacos/burritos, without being too sweet. But when we want this for dessert, I bump it up to the 1/3 cup of sugar, and voila! Perfection. Thanks for the great recipe! (Oh, and btw, to other reviewers-- there really is no substitute for masa harina. It makes all the difference in this recipe.)

just like chevy's! i cut down the butter to make it healthier. i found that steaming this in a pie pan over a large soup pot allowed for the most even cooking.

This can also be cooked in the oven! According to the Chevy's cookbook, you should cover the pan tightly with foil, place in a larger roasting pan, pour enough water into the roasting pan to reach 3/4" depth, and cook their Sweet Corn Tomalito in a 250 degree oven until a thermometer reads 175 degrees F (I assume when placed in the center of the casserole). For a 13"x9"x2" pan of corn tomalito, this should take 1 1/2 - 2 hours, but it would probably take much less for an 8"x8" pan, I would guess 60-90 minutes. Cooking over a pot of boiling water seems precarious, and I'm not a fan of cooking in the microwave, so this is the method I'm going to use.

This was SO good!! I used 1/4 c. of sugar and I use sweet frozen corn. It doesn't make much. I had to make a another batch cause the first one went by so fast! Very easy to make... I did it in the microwave. 7 minutes at 30% power, then 4 minutes at 100% power. Came out perfect!! I also had some left over for the next day and it was a little dry. So I added a tablespoon of water and microwave it for a min and came out perfect again!!

This Recipe was taken an adapted from a Restaurant Called Chevy's original recipe. Most people get confused with the Masa Harina. This is simply "Corn Flour" .. This Recipe is Great! Everyone should try it! Its the kind of thing that you'll have to make for a large group of people.. consider how often do you use Cornflour and Cornmeal in everyday cooking?

GREAT! I have wanted a recipe for this for a long time. I have now made it three times: the first was the agonizing steam method. Then I wised up and used the microwave. A covered dish for 9-10 minutes on 90% gave me a great consistency. Wonderful recipe; my kids, including the 9-month-old, just loved it.

Yummy, perfect for a mexican dinner! I tried the microwave method with wax paper over the top, a little too crumbly, a covered dish would work better to hold in the moisture.

This stuff is great!! Just like what they serve at Chevy's. I used canned corn instead of frozen and it worked just fine. It was a tad sweeter than I like, maybe due to the corn which was itself quite sweet. I'll cut the sugar down next time. I also think I'll cut the butter in half to make it a bit healthier. 5T seemed excessive. Overall a great recipe!

I halved the recipe and cooked it in the microwave using 7 mins at 30% then 4 mins at 100%, as suggested in another review. That overcooked it and made the tomalito really tough in pockets. Next time I'll make the full recipe. This recipe doesn't make enough to warrant halving it.

This recipe was wonderful. Easy to make, but took a while to cook. It taste amazing and is a perfect side dish for a fiesta. My family didn't like the whole corn in it though, so next time I will blend all the corn instead of half to make it smother. Over all it is to die for!!!

Made this for dinner tonight. I was skeptical - but I read lots of reviews, and it turned out just like what I get at my neighborhood Chevy's! I didn't want to run out for masa harina, so I took a chance and used regular ol' flour, and it was fine. I used 1 can of corn, drained, using the liquid in place of the water. Cooked in the microwave tightly covered for 3 sets of 3 minutes, stirring really well in between, and then finished in the oven tightly covered for about 10 minutes. Also used butter and cream for the margarine and milk. Thanks for a great recipe, we loved this!

The directions have been clarified to use a double boiler to cook the tomalito.

I did not understand the cooking directions at all! It sounded like put a pan on top of a pot? So, I then followed the rest of the directions. And, I used a hand-emulsion blender for ease. To cook it I used a water bath method of another similar sweet corn pudding recipe on here. When done baking to thicken it up a little more, I then put it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and microwaved it a tad. It appeared more like what I thought it should, but then it got really "dry." The original directions really need to make this clear on how to cook this! I really like anything corn, but this is just not something I would make again. Although, a lot of people may like it I think sweet corn cake, might just not be for me, as it is too heavy, greasy, and sweet.

Love, love, love it! I served this as a side with beef enchiladas and a salad. I was shocked to find just before dinner that I was out of masa harina, so took a chance and used GF Bisquik. No worries! It was perfect. I followed MCKARIN's method and nuked it. My microwave may have higher wattage (or maybe it was the Bisquik) but I did have to add more milk to keep it from getting too dry. So simple, so tasty, even with my major error. Winner!

This stuff is phenomenal! My husband and I love Chevy's. We have always loved the tomalito they serve. I was so excited to find this recipe! One thing worth noting: I doubled the recipe amount and I had to steam it for an hour and a half. I also added about 3 teaspoons of cinnamon and it was delicious. I will for sure make this again.

Houston we have a problem... This recipe is delicious and so easy to make (maybe too easy!). The first time I made the recipe it took about an hour in the steamer to cook. This morning I made it again using the microwave method to see if the results were different. They weren't. I followed other reviewers suggestions and cooked it at 30% for 7 minutes and 100% for 4 minutes. There was a "soft spot" in the center, maybe it needed 4 1/2 minutes. I just tossed the mixture with a fork and it was fine. Loved it with a poached egg for breakfast! *If you're doing Weight Watchers, it's 5 points plus a serving.

Great recipe! I didn't downsize the amount of sugar because I wanted to see just how sweet it is and I thought that it was perfect! Thank you for sharing! I would and will definitely make this again.

Made this for Thanksgiving and it turned out perfectly, cooked in the microwave as suggested by the other reviewers. Nice alternative to corn casseroles.

This is an amazing dish. You can make this to go with amost anything, but it is best with some sort of Mexican dish. It is easy to do, even for the beginning cook. It tastes amazing and I got so many compliments about it!

I halved this recipe, as there were only two of us, and it was perfect. It's very very similar to Chevy's. It was exactly what I was looking for. Very simple to make. I was confused about masa harina. I used what I had, "harina," which was flour-tortilla flour. It turned out fine. Very Yummy!!!!! Thanks for the recipe

Delicious! I usually double the recipe & put it into a greased 9x13" glass dish which I set into a 11x17" glass dish filled with hot water. Then bake at 250 degrees till internal temp is 175 degrees. Then I cut into squares, cool & freeze. We can then take out a couple of squares, microwave, and have for lunch usually with a nice salad or cooked veggie - YUM!!

I could not wait to try this recipe, as a true Chevy's fan.. I forgot corn at the grocery store, so I did luckily have a can of creamed corn on hand. I mixed all ingredients and cooked in the microwave w/ tight saran wrap for 4 mins, stirred thoroughly, cooked for another 3 mins, stopped to stir again, then another 2 mins. It was absolutely PERFECT and hubby said was better than Chevy's! LOVE this recipe and will w/out a doubt be making it often for our "Mexican Monday" dinners!

I was craving this tonight but the only cornmeal-like ingredient I had was some instant polenta. I put 4 Tbs butter, 1 c water, 1 c 2% mil, and 1/3 c sugar in a saucepan, brought it to a boil, and slowly mixed in 1/2 c polenta. Stir constantly over heat until it thickens, then let set in the pan for a few mins. Not as good as the real thing, but it definitely hit the spot!

This was delicious. I didn't have cornmeal so I made it w/o and it still turned out great. I will definitely be making this again but next time with the cornmeal, a little less sugar and butter instead of margarine. I made it in the oven using the "bath" method and worked great!

WOW! This is so good! I never had the stuff at Chevy's but it reminds me of the tamales at Cheesecake Factory. I drizzled some sour cream on top after scooping it out. It tastes like cornbread pudding. It takes over an hour but it's not constant labor... you just let it sit on the stove. No biggie. IT'S WORTH IT!!

I was craving this and did not have masa harina or cornmeal. So I used Trader Joe's cornbread mix. I measured out the mix accordingly in place of all the dry ingredients... as if I was using the harina, cornmeal, sugar, salt, etc. I followed the recipe for the wet ingredients. I also cooked it in the microwave for 7 mins on 30% and 4 mins on 100%. It was great!!! I got my fix. It doesn't have that authentic mexican taste without the harina, but it was good enough for me on this day!

Great recipe! Especially for those of us who have wheat issues! I've gotten where I use masa harina (corn flour) for many wheat substitutions.

Over the years, I've tried to locate a recipe for the tomalito they serve at Chevy's, and at last I've found it. I always asked for a side of tomalito if my dish didn't come with it, so I m just thrilled. Putting it in the microwave definitely worked and obviously reduces the cooking time considerably. An excellent recipe and one that I'll make regularly from now on.

I would give this 5 stars for taste and 1 star for the directions being unclear, so I'm compromising with 3 stars. It tasted great. Nice and light texture, great flavor. But I had no clue what the instructions meant. Was I supposed to put it in a water bath in a skillet on the stove top? Was I supposed to cook it like in a double boiler type set up? Was I supposed to put a rack over a pan of water and put it on the rack? Please make the directions more clear or someone enlighten me. I ended up putting it in a water bath in the oven at 375 and it was just fine. I'll do that from now on, but I had to do some googling to come to that solution because while I'm not a novice baker, I'm not an expert either. Microwaving is not an option for us.

If you never had it, it may look strange to you. But the minute you taste it you just can't get enough of it.

Absolutely amazing, didn't have to tweak a thing except I added some more kernel corn.

This turned out very good. My whole family liked it. I served with carnita tacos. I too used a pie plate and had to cook for a total of 1 hour 20 minutes as it was not set after one hour. I also decreased the sugar to 1/4. Next time I will add some fresh sliced jalapeno. I will for sure make again.

I love this dish! The only change I tried was not thawing the corn, which, for some reason, made it lighter in texture, fluffier. I won't go back to thawing the corn! Thanks for the recipe.

This was absolutely delicious. I served it as a side dish to Dr. Pepper Pork, a good braised pork recipe on the Pioneer Woman website (pork shoulder braised in chipotles w/adobo sauce, Dr. Pepper & brown sugar, 300* for 7 hours) and it was a wonderful contrast to the spicy pork burritos. Easy to make, even though I needed to use both my KA and my mini-processor (lots of cleanup!). The cornmeal mixture in the processor never did become "smooth" (I used a medium coarse cornmeal), but that made no difference. We all loved it, and I'll make it every time I do a Mexican or Tex-Mex dinner!

AMAZING!!!!! Has become a staple for family dinners!

I prepared this in the microwave. It's just like the kind you get at "that" Mexican restaurant...

Very tasty, indeed! Very similar to Chevy's version. You can get masa harina (corn flour) in the Hispanic section of any grocery store I've been to. I've made this recipe a few times, the last time I followed it exactly. The amount of sugar is necessary if you want this to be a sweet desert sort of thing. I think next time I'll cut the margarine in half, though-- it's really not necessary, and it'll be a lot healthier that way. It was slightly overcooked at 7 minutes 30% power, 4 minutes 100% power in my 1100 watt microwave. Next time I'm going to do 7 minutes 30% power, 3 minutes 100%-- I think that will turn out perfectly. Delicious recipe, thanks for posting, TheKirklands!

I originally gave this 3 stars, but I'm bumping it to four. It's really grown on me, thanks to some suggestions. I cut the butter to 3T, the sugar to 1/4 cup (which still might be too much), skim milk, and I've used a can of creamed corn instead of 2C of frozen whole-kernel. Microwave method has worked great for me, though I've generally had to keep microwaving at 100% for longer than seven minutes. I just stir it every minute or so, then pop it back in, until it's the right thickness.

As mentioned before, this is an incredible recipe! The time involved, even for a small group or couple, is well worth the effort. It is particularly good after sitting the first day. I own the “Chevy's Cookbook,” and I tried their original recipe. This one is far superior! Suggestions: I add a thimble or two of vanilla for some extra kick. In addition, I intend on utilizing Splenda sweetener rather than sugar, as my wife is diabetic. Thanks to the other reviewers for their practical hints! Get cookin!

My husband, children and neighbors all loved it. Tastes just like the sweet corn cake at ChiChi's. Excellent side to any mexican meal. I did not try steaming it on top of the stove, but the microwave hint worked like a charm. Thanks for the great recipe.

I made it exactly as recipe called and cooked it for 50 min. Could probably eat it after 40 min for more moist recipe. My whole family loved it!

Can be done without a double boiler in a non-stick sauce pan, but must be stir OFTEN. Delicious!

Our household was 50/50 on this. My son & I loved it and the others would've rather just had cornbread.

Made as written, steamed, no changes...fabulous! Hubbie said upon first bite "this is good." Needless to say I did not get any of the leftovers...totally bogarted. Very easy - very delicious - thank you.

Yum, used the microwave and it was perfect.

I followed the microwave instructions...turned out great and tasted just like it does at Chevy's

Not sure if it was because I didn't have a double boiler or not and had to improvise, but it took almost 2 hours to cook. Well worth the wait though it turned out fantastic!

Excellent! This has been my most desired recipe for a long time. I used to go to Chevy's just so I could have my Tomalito...Im sure some old employee gave this recipe away.

My boyfriend has declared this his favorite food that I have ever made for him! I love it too. It does turn out sweet but we like it best when following the ingredients exactly as listed.

I came across Sweet Corn Tomalitos in a Mexican restaurant and always ordered it as a side when eating there. Imagine my excitement when I found this recipe. I have made the dish on a number of occasions for family and friends now. Everybody loves them and asks for the recipe. Since I can meet my craving for it now at home we also save money by not dining out. Many thanks to the Kirklands

This is absolutely delicious! Soft, warm, sweet....total comfort food~ While I've not made it using the traditional 'steaming' method, I cannot comment on how that turns out vs. the microwave method. I was completely happy with the texture of the dish and speed microwave cooking, given by the other reviewer. I did cut the sugar to 1/4 c. and it was still satisfyingly sweet! I also opted for frozen white sweet corn (shoepeg) and used 1/2 c. of lowfat milk instead of water to puree the 1 c of corn. (I had seen milk used in a recipe from Mexico.) This recipe is fantastic!

I am always asked either to give the recipe or bring the dish! I microwave it, or cook, tightly covered in the oven. I have never steamed it. I use real butter and canned corn.

This dish was delicious. I didn't do the stove top method. I put the baking dish in a pan of water in the oven. I stole that idea from a similiar recipe. Seemed easier and cooked great.

Excellent. My family ate the entire dish in one meal.

Great! I couldn't find masa at my local grocery store (super duper small town America) so I subbed Jiffy corn muffin mix and cut the sugar down to 1/3 cup. Steamed this for about an hour and a half and it was perfect.

I love this. It has just the right amount of sweetness. I've already made it several times. I followed the recipe exactly except I cooked it in the microwave! Thanks for the great recipe!

Don't let this prep time fool you as you can cook it in the microwave also. As suggested, I decreased the amount of sugar. It IS a sure hit - and although I am not a known cooker in my circle of friends, this recipe made them think I was!

Very good but next time I think I'll stick to butter (I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and that was all I could taste!) and the cornmeal seemed to make it a little too gritty for me. I think I'll just all masa harina and see how that works out.

A lot of work but well worth it!

I always love this stuff when I go to Chevy's restaurant but never get my fill of it there since they only give you a couple tablespoons... Now I can have as much as I want!.. :)

Quite delicious! My husband loves this at restaurants and this tasted just wonderful!

Excellent!

Delicious. This recipe takes a bit of time and attention. I had planned on making it for a large party but will defer since the time at the stove is lengthy. I used fresh corn rather then the frozen as suggested and doubled the recipe. Everyone loved it.

YUM! It was SO easy! Eating some as I type

Amazing, taste just like a Pollo Locos side dish. I have been looking for a receipt like this for a long time, and finally found it, thanks for posting it.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. I used butter instead of margarine and it turned out wonderful. Can't wait to make it again. Actually went to Chevy's last night and I liked mine (from this recipe) better!

Yummy! I did it in the microwave as others have suggested and it was a bit underdone. Still tasted fantastic, though.

AWESOME! Just like Chevy's, and trust me, I go to Chevy's twice a month and that's the highlight of my meal. Thank you to MCKARIN for telling us about making it in the Microwave. That idea rocks! Doing it with water is a pain. Thanks for coming back so many years later so we can all find out!

I'm english and live in england so i'd never heard of this or eaten at Chevys, but having recently discovered cornbread, and creamed corn i thought i'd give this a go. Personally i thought it was a tad sweet and i'll reduce the sugar next time, but apart from that i could eat this stuff straight out of the bowl with a spoon its so good. As for cooking, i poured the mixture into a glass bowl, covered it with foil and then placed it into a steamer, as thats how we'd cook a sponge pudding or a christmas pudding here in england. By steamer i mean a large saucepan or stockpot with a steamer insert and lid. Hope that helps.

This is the best recipe I have ever found for corn tomalito. Bravo!

Excellent Recipe. I cooked mine in the oven covered and had excellent results.

I really liked this one- it was the first time I made, but I was pleased w/ the results. I think next tiem though I'd like to add some peppers or something else to add a little zest- and then I'll reduce the sugar content (I already did in this version as well). Great side dish for shredded beef.

This is just like the tomalito at Chevys! I used Green Giant's Gold & White corn (which is sweeter than most other frozen corn). Also, I would strongly recommend following the other reviewers' microwave directions. It's fast and turns out just as well. Also, I cut the margarine in half. Great with chicken enchiladas.

microwave method worked fabulously!

I really enjoyed this recipe. I am a tomalito-only eater at Chevys and I don't think I will ever need to go back now! I tweaked the recipe a bit, based on other reviewers, as well. I like my tomalito wetter and almost raw tasting (like they have it at Chevys). So, I cooked mine on power 3 for 9 minutes and cooked on full power for 1-2 minutes. That gave the best consistency. I also added about 1/4 milk, to make it more moist. And, I also put 3/4 of the corn in the blender, that makes for less corniness. Since I found this recipe, I've tried it 5 times, changing little things here and there. Delicious!

The first time I made this, I made it as directed and still wasn't cooked through after 75 minutes. I had to finish it in the microwave. The next time I made it, I used the microwave (covered with press n seal). I set it at 500watts for 5 minutes then full power for 2.5 minutes. Stirring between cycles. It's so easy and tastes great. Never have left overs.

This was AMAZING! I followed directions exactly except for cooking...I covered with foil, baked in the oven @ 350, for 60 min in a water bath (for 4 servings). It came out perfect! Served with Polenta & Vegetable Casserole, Mexican Rice II, Best Guacamole & of course some Margaritas! Thanks so much for sharing! :)

I used the readers suggestion and cooked mine in the microwave. The center didn't want to 'firm up' and I ended up having to stir it. Then it was almost over cooked. Also I put a diced and seeded jalapeno in the mix. Not sure I'll make this one again.

pretty sweet but I like sweet foods. The sugar could be reduced easily though by 25% IMO.

Cut the sugar in half, and it was still way too sweet for us. I used the microwave method, and texture-wise, it came out fine.

Just like at Chevy's! I used the microwave method (7 mins at 30%, 4 mins at 100%), covering the 8x8 pyrex with saran wrap to keep the moisture in. Ate half the batch in one sitting! Oops!

I really like this... My husband really doesn't. I have been making this for years now... I usually make it to put under chili, but it's almost sweet enough to make into a dessert. I use the microwave method of cooking, as do others, in a glass lidded casserole dish. It always turns out moist, with no dry pockets, but I do stir it a bit during cooking. I sometimes add creamed corn if I have it and cut back on some of the other liquids. Makes a small enough amount that I don't mind making it even when I know I'll be the only one eating it.

Delicious! after you bake for 10-15 minutes at 325 after letting it steam...was still watery for me

Yum! I use the microwave preparation suggested - 30% power for 7 minutes then 4 minutes at 100%. Turns out awesome!

Cut the sugar to a fraction of the amount called for, but other than that, this recipe is PERFECT. Our friends' one-yr-old couldn't get enough either!

This is SOOO GOOD!!! Tastes just like Chevy's (why did they all close down?) I used 1/2 cornmeal and 1/2 flour to make masa harina since I did not have any. Came out great, Thanks for the great recipe Eric!

Tastes just like the Tomalito I've had at Chevy's! In fact, I love that restaurant for the tomalito in itself! First of all, I doubled the recipe so I'd have plenty left over as well. I was able to purchase the corn flour at my usual grocery store. I followed the advice of many of the previous posters about using the microwave however, I definitely had to cook mine for longer than was suggested. I believe you'll just have to play around with whatever works. The end result is a little grainy and a little dry... but quite honestly its delicious! I will definitely be making this again and I'm sure it'll get better the more I learn about my microwave!

Definitely make this, but definitely use the microwave instructions listed in the Most Helpful review. Exact results, same delicious taste.

This is so good!!! I followed the recipe exactly (not my normal mode of operation) and it was perfect. Made the batch for 8 servings and my husband and I inhaled it. Will definitely make again. Thanks for posting!

This one is a winner! I followed others advice and did 7 minutes at 30% power and 3 minutes at 100% power while it was covered in saran wrap. My husband and kids gobbled it up. I mixed everything in a food processor, didn't waste time with extra bowls. Even added the baking powder etc. in the processor at the end and then just folded in the last of the corn. Hubby and kids thought there was too much extra corn, so the second time I chopped up 1.5 cups and folded in 0.5 cup. Great recipe!

Yum- never been to Chevy's but worked at Cheesecake Factory and these are very similar to their Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes. I have always made this in the microwave and it turns out everytime.

Made a vegan version. Switched margarine to Earth Balance and used soy milk instead and I didn't tell people at the BBQ and they LOVED IT! I'm making it again tonight. Super easy.

Just like Chevys'! Perfect. I tried the microwave version mentioned by other reviewers: 7 minutes at 30% power, then 4 minutes at 100% power. The center was still goopy so I stirred it up and cooked it another minute at 30% power and it was just right. Would definitely make this again... so easy to make!!

The color was a little different than chevy's, but the taste was very similar. I used masa for tamales instead of masa harina, and creamed corn instead of fresh. Followed the microwave instructions, and it was delicious.

Had some difficulty with cooking it in the micro... Next time I'll just pop it into the veg steamer or slow cooker. Got fluffy and cooked on edges...soupy in middle. hmm, tastes wonderful tho!

Tasted great....just like Chevy's. My only complaint....it took about twice as long to cook as the recipe suggested. Other than that, wonderful!

Yes, this was very good with only 1/4 cup sugar. I also cooked mine in the microwave like some others have suggested, and it was just fine. Thank you.

¡Fabuloso! I followed the recipe to a T, short of using the microwave method of cooking it (Thank you MCKARIN for the exact directions on that one). This recipe rocks! My whole family—even my 2&1/2 year old—gobbled it up.