Turn the broiler on high. Take the husk off the corn and place in an oven safe pan, directly under the flame of the broiler. You will need to turn the corn frequently to ensure an even char on the kernels. It can be scattered char, but you’re looking for at least ½ of the cobb to have a nice golden to blackened char. Once done, turn broiler off and set corn aside to cool.
In a medium size unoiled and dry skillet, place your ground cumin and paprika. Turn the heat on medium low and stir the spices around until they become fragrant and slightly toasted, about 3 mins. Watch closely, as this can burn quickly!
Once the spices are fragrant, add the salt and garlic. Stir to incorporate and then add the ¼ cup of water to loosen the spices and garlic. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Stir and cover; allow the mixture to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often to reduce sticking.
Once the onion and peppers are softened, add the squash and beans. Stir and cover, cooking another 10 minutes.
While the squash is starting to soften, take your cooled and charred corn cobs and cut the kernels off the cob. *Pro Tip: Cutting the cobs in half, vertically will make the task of removing the kernels much less messy. Once you have the kernels removed from the cob, add them to your pan, along with the 2 cups of water or broth. Stir and cover, allowing to bubble for 10-15 minutes until the squash is fork tender, stirring often to ensure no sticking. Remove the lid, and allow excess water to continue to cook off until the contents of the pan are moist, but not sitting in liquid. Stir until desired consistency is reached.
Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes or so. Stir in any optional ingredients and enjoy as is, with corn tortillas, or corn chips.
*Pro Tip: The vessel food is shared in matters! Choose an attractive bowl to serve in, or if you want to take an extra step, you can use the other half of the squash if it remains, and roast it unpeeled and uncut. When it’s done, allow it to cool and spoon your Native 3 Sisters dish into the cavity of the cooked squash. This makes for a beautiful center piece of deliciousness on your table!