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{{Short description|Brazilian dessert}}
{{for|the river of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany|Curauer Au}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Curau
| image            = Canjica1.jpg
| image_size        =
| caption          =
| alternate_name   =
| country          = [[Brazil]]
| region           =
| creator          =
| course           = [[Dessert]]
| served           =
| main_ingredient  = [[Milk]], [[sugar]], [[maize]] or sweet corn
| variations       =
| calories         =
| other            =
}}
{{Brazilian cuisine}}
'''''Curau''''' ({{IPA|pt|kuˈɾaw}}) is a Brazilian sweet [[custard]]-like [[dessert]] made from the pressed juice of [[maize|unripe maize]], cooked with [[milk]] and [[sugar]].
The term ''curau'' is used mostly the southern states such as [[São Paulo]], [[Mato Grosso]], and [[Mato Grosso do Sul]]. It is also called ''corá'' ({{IPA|pt|koˈɾa|pron}}) in [[Minas Gerais]], ''papa-de-milho'' {{IPA|pt|ˈpapɐdʒiˈmiʎu|}} 'corn porridge' in [[Rio de Janeiro]], and ''canjica'' {{IPA|pt|kɐ̃ˈʒikɐ|}} in the northern half of Brazil.
== Typical recipes ==
Curau recipes typically call for about half to two liters of milk and one to three cups of sugar to 10 ears of unripe maize or [[sweet corn]]. Other ingredients may be added, such as a pinch of [[salt]], a [[tablespoon]] of [[butter]].  The milk may be replaced in part by [[coconut milk]] or [[condensed milk]].
To prepare the curau, the corn kernels are grated off the ears and put into a [[cloth]] bag.  The bag is then squeezed while adding the milk little by little, so as to extract as much juice as possible from the ground corn mass.  Alternatively, the ground corn and milk may be processed with a [[blender]] and then passed through  fine [[sieve]].
The extracted liquid is combined with the sugar and any other ingredients, and thickened to a creamy consistency by cooking on the stove for about 45 minutes (or in the [[microwave oven]] for 12–15 minutes), stirring frequently.  The cream is then poured into appropriate containers (dessert cups, muffin molds, shallow baking pans, etc.)
The curau may be served warm or cool (when it acquires a firm custard-like consistency).  It is typically dusted with powdered [[cinnamon]].
== Curau in popular culture ==
A giant canjica has been prepared every year since 1999 in the town of [[Caruaru]] for the [[Festa Junina|Festa de São João]] in northeast Brazil; the 2008 issue was 35 meters long and used 4,500 ears of corn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jornallivre.com.br/50047/curau-gigante-tem-4-5-mil-espigas.html|title=Curau gigante tem 4,5 mil espigas|work=jornallivre.com.br|accessdate=3 February 2015|archive-date=4 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204031358/http://www.jornallivre.com.br/50047/curau-gigante-tem-4-5-mil-espigas.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In the southern states, the word ''canjica'' is used for a [[canjica (dish)|different dessert]], made with ripe unground white maize [[Seed|kernels]], cooked in milk until soft, and which is called ''mungunzá doce'' in the northern half of Brazil.
== See also ==
* [[Pamonha]]
* [[Polenta]]
* [[List of Brazilian sweets and desserts]]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Brazilian desserts]]
[[Category:Puddings]]