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Masa (Dough for tortillas and tamales)
Masa in Mexican means "dough". The masa is made from field corn, called
maiz blanco or "cacahuazintle" [kaw-kaw-WAH-SEEN-til] which was dried, treated
with a lime water solution, then ground. This page will describe the process of making
masa. The masa can then be used for corn tortillas or for tamales.
The slaked corn (Nixtamal) can be used for making pozole (hominy).
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Makes:
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds
i n g r e d i e n t s
1 1/2 pounds (1 quart) dried white field corn
2 tablespoons "cal" slaked lime
d i r e c t i o n s
Clean the corn
Place the corn in a colander and rinse under cold water.
Prepare the lime mixture
Add 2 quarts of water to a large (at least 4 quart) noncorrosive pan. Place the pan
over high heat and add the lime (cal) and stir until it is dissolved.
slaked lime (cal)
Boil the corn
Add the corn into the lime water, stirring gently. Use a slotted spoon and remove
any kernels that float to the top of the water. Allow the water to boil then reduce
the heat to a simmer. If you are making the dough for tortillas, allow to boil 2
minutes. If you are making tamale dough simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan
from the heat and allow the corn to soak. For tortilla dough allow to soak, covered,
overnight. For tamale dough, allow to soak for an hour.
Wash the corn
This step is very important. If you don't rinse and clean the corn properly your dough
will be yellow and taste like lime.
Pour the corn into a colander and place it under cold running water. Use both your
hands and rub the corn between your hands to loosen any hulls still attached to the corn.
Continue until the corn is all white (except the tips). Drain the corn well. This
cleaned, prepared corn is what is called "Nixtamal" or "Nixtamalado".
nixtamal - cleaned, damp corn
Pictured above you can see the little brown "heads" left on the corn. If
you are making Pozole and you want the kernels to open (flower) then you need to
"de-head" the kernals. De-heading simply means to pick off those little
tips. This rather time-consuming step is optional and does not affect the flavor of the
pozole, just the appearance.
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stone metate y mano
This Stone Metate y Mano is available at GourmetSleuth.com. View
All Mexican Cooking Tools in our catalog. We sell
molcajetes, tortilla presses, lemon squeezers, metates, all the essential Mexican
products.
Estrella Plate-Style Grinder
This grinder is made by Estrella
in Mexico. Estrella is one of the oldest cast iron companies in Mexico and
produces very good products. The grinder attaches to your counter top
or work surface. The standard version comes fitted with steel plates
and a low hopper.
Low hopper Grinder:
$39.95
Nutrition
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| Vitamin C (mg) |
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| Related
Articles
Tortilla
Presses - Read More About Tortilla Press. Article shows the various types and how they
are used.
Corn Tortillas - How to make homemade An
illustrated guide to making your own corn tortillas..
Corn, Masa, Nixtamal - Learn about the history and
significance of corn in Mexican life and cuisine.
Flour Tortillas - How to make flour tortillas
Grind the corn for tortilla
dough
Metate y Mano
The traditional tool for grinding the nixtamal is the metate y mano. If you are an
adventurous cook and don't mind a good work out then you'll enjoy using the metate.
Depending on the size of your metate, place a handful or two of corn on the top
surface. Use downward pressure on the mano and roll across the corn (like a rolling
pin). Continue until the corn becomes finely pulverized. Repeat until all the corn
has been ground.
Plate-Style Corn Mill (Molino)
While this is less labor intensive than the metate the corn mill (see photo) requires significant effort. Use
the corn mill fitted with a stone plate. The stone plate, rather than a metal plate
will produce the smoothest textured dough. Place the corn in the hopper and grind it
through using the finest setting. The resulting mixture should be smooth and not
gritty.
Once the corn is all ground add approximate 2/3 to 3/4 cup of water to the corn and mix to
form medium-soft dough.
Food Processor
You can use your food processor to prepare the dough for tamales but it does not get quite
fine enough for tortilla dough. Grind the corn in small batches, pulsing the corn 5 or 6
times. Then let the processor run continuously until the corn is the proper consistency
(see next paragraph).
Grind the corn for tamale dough
Spread the drained corn onto a towel and pat dry with another towel. Use either of
the tools described above and grind the dried corn. If you are using the plate-style
grinder, use the medium or medium-fine setting. The ground corn should be a consistency of
damp hominy grits. Add approximately 2/3 cups water to form a stiff dough. |
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