Chanm chanm is a quick and easy 3 ingredient Haitian old school snack made from shelled corn, cinnamon and roasted peanuts that are ground. My version is a modern rendition that uses the oven and a coffee grinder.
I love sharing old school Caribbean recipes with you. It's great to make people aware of recipes that might slowly be forgotten.
Chanm chanm is a recipe that came to mind, it is incredibly easy to make, cheap and very addictive.
What is chanm chanm?
chanm chanm is a old school treat made from corn and peanuts.
It is something that does back to days of the African and indigenous people which is why I like to refer to it as a forgotten gem.
The corn kernels are left to dry outside in the hot sunshine. Once they are completely dry the kernels are then shelled and put into a hot pot along with the peanuts to be parched.
Once parched and completely cool, a mortar and pestle is used to ground the corn and peanuts into a powdery consistency.
Then a sweetener is added and sometimes spices such as cinnamon too. Many people would eat their chanm chanm neat or alternatively add a bit of water.
As far as I'm aware this sweet snack is eaten throughout the Caribbean. Jamaicans and Grenadians know it is Asham, while Trinidadians call it Chili bibi.
Haitians are the only ones who make theirs with peanuts while the other islands use parched corn.
My homemade version
Just like asham, chanm chanm is typically sold in Haitian supermarkets and by vendors. Many people rely on purchasing it in plastic bags or containers.
I decided to do a homemade version for people who live in the diaspora and long for the taste of this roasted corn and peanut mixture.
It will bring the taste of Haiti to your household and also bring awareness to people who are not even aware of this delicious Caribbean snack.
My version is more of an approach which uses modern technology. Instead of air drying the corn I used my dehydrator to do all the work.
Plus living in the UK, it's not always easy to get continuous hot sunshine especially during the cold months.
I also use my spice grinder rather than depend on a mortar and pestle to grind the peanuts and corn.
I also use the oven to roast the peanuts and the dried corn instead of parching them in a pan on the stovetop.
I feel this oven method really imparts a much deeper taste than doing so on the stovetop.
The types of corn to use and the method
- Air dried corn on the cob: You can buy dried corn on the cob during the peak of harvest. It's so much easier to purchase corn when it is dried, saves a lot of time and hassle.
- Dehydrator corn: I personally dry loose corn kernels in my dehydrator for 8-10 hours.
- Oven method: There's also the option of drying the corn in the oven on low temperature for up to 10 hours. I don't have any experience with drying corn in the oven. I am merely aware of what options are out there.
- Popcorn Kernels: is a very accessible method especially outside of corn season. However, you do need to be mindful of the kernels forming into popcorn. I have tried this method and it works, I quickly remove the kernels from the stove as they are begin to form.
The steps
- Preheat the 200C/400F.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place the corn kernels and peanuts on the baking tray (place them side by side, don't mix them together).
- Roast in the oven until golden, the corn will brown first so keep an eye on them and use a spoon to remove them once they are done.
- Return the peanuts to the oven and continue to roast until they are a deep brown (some may darken quicker than others so remove those).
- Once roasted allow the corn and peanuts to completely cool down.
- Pour the mixture into a coffee/spice grinder (you may need to do this in batches).
- Once ground (depending on the consistency, sieve the entire contents. I didn't do this because my spice grinder is very powerful).
- Then add the coconut sugar (or sweetener of your choice) and cinnamon (if you are adding it).
Notes and tips
- If using corn on the cob try to get hold of corn that is already dried although this tends to be more accessible during the harvest.
- Coconut sugar isn't as sweet and has a low GI index so great for anyone with high blood sugar. You can also mix raw organic cane sugar with coconut sugar to give it a much sweeter edge.
- Corn on the cob needs to be shelled first before you can begin parching so make sure to do that first.
- Make sure you are using blanched NOT skin on peanuts.
- Loose sweet corn kernels work just fine, frozen or fresh. Frozen sweet corn can be defrosted quickly in warm water then blotted completely dry.
- I dehydrate my corn for roughly 8 hours. Depending the brand/model of your unit be prepared to dry your corn for up to 10 hours.
- Store your chanm chanm in an air tight mason jar/ air tight container. It should last for a few weeks.
- You can double or triple the amount of corn/peanuts used for a larger batch.
- For powdery consistency make sure your grinder/blender is powerful. If not, use a sieve to get the texture you desire.
- If drying the corn in the oven you would do so on the lowest setting for up to 10 hours. I don't have first hand experience doing this though, this information is based on feedback as I always use my dehydrator.
- This recipe makes one FULL mason jar.
More recipes with corn and peanuts to try
- Spicy Air Fryer Peanuts
- Peanut Butter Chicken
- Peanut Porridge
- Peanut Punch
- Cornmeal Porridge
- Cornmeal Dumpling
- Haitian Akasan
- Saltfish Turn Cornmeal
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Haitian Chanm Chanm
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dried corn kernels (246g)
- 1½ cups blanched peanuts (219g)
- coconut sugar to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (0.5g)(optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the 200C/400F.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place the corn kernels and peanuts on the baking tray (place them side by side, don't mix them together).
- Roast in the oven until golden, the corn will brown first so keep an eye on them and use a spoon to remove them once they are done.
- Return the peanuts to the oven and continue to roast until they are a deep brown (some may darken quicker than others so remove those).
- Once roasted allow the corn and peanuts to completely cool down.Pour the mixture into a coffee/spice grinder (you may need to do this in batches).
- Once ground (depending on the consistency, sieve the entire contents. I didn't do this because my spice grinder is very powerful).
- Then add the coconut sugar (or sweetener of your choice) and cinnamon (if you are adding it).
Notes
- If using corn on the cob try to get hold of corn that is already dried although this tends to be more accessible during the harvest.
- Coconut sugar isn't as sweet and has a low GI index so great for anyone with high blood sugar. You can also mix raw organic cane sugar with coconut sugar to give it a much sweeter edge.
- Corn on the cob needs to be shelled first before you can begin parching so make sure to do that first.
- Make sure you are using blanched NOT skin on peanuts.
- Loose sweet corn kernels work just fine, frozen or fresh. Frozen sweet corn can be defrosted quickly in warm water then blotted completely dry.
- I dehydrate my corn for roughly 8 hours. Depending the brand/model of your unit be prepared to dry your corn for up to 10 hours.
- Store your chanm chanm in an air tight mason jar/ air tight container. It should last for a few weeks.
- You can double or triple the amount of corn/peanuts used for a larger batch.
- For powdery consistency make sure your grinder/blender is powerful. If not, use a sieve to get the texture you desire.
- If drying the corn in the oven you would do so on the lowest setting for up to 10 hours. I don't have first hand experience doing this though, this information is based on feedback as I always use my dehydrator.
- This recipe makes one FULL mason jar.
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