Nowadays not even ranchers or farmer communities prepare corn masa as it used to be the common practice for centuries in Mexico’s heartland. The use of ready-made corn masa is now more common, and they are widely used to make tortillas and other corn-based meals.
However, and thinking of those of you who are far away from México, here we are presenting you with the recipe to prepare your own home-made corn masa, which you can then use to make tortillas and many other delicious authentic Mexican corn-based antojitos and meals.
Corn Masa - Masa de Maíz
The process may be a bit time to consume, but you will agree with me that the unique flavor of tortillas and other antojitos made with freshly made corn masa is well worth the effort and time.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE Blue Corn-masa
How to make Corn Masa, step by step:
- Use clean corn seed, remove any chaff from the corn husk, rinse with tap water, and then remove any excess water using a plastic colander. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Put the corn into a non-corrosive pot. Use 2 to three liters of water per each one kilo of corn. Add two tablespoons of dried powered lime (Mexican cal) dissolved in ½ cup of filtered water.
- CAL MEXICANA.- You can find “cal mexicana” (powdered lime) in most Latin or Hispanic grocery stores.
- Transfer all these ingredients into a clay pot (preferably) and let it boil for few minutes (15-20 minutes), stir slowly using a wooden kitchen spoon. Remove the pot from the stove, cover it with a lid and let it cool overnight.
- You know that the corn is ready if it easily peels off when you rub it with your fingers after 15 -20 minutes of cooking.
- The next day, remove all the liquid (also known as “nejayote”), and rinse the corn two or three times rubbing off the loose skin until the kernels are quite white and the water looks clean. Drain well.
- Now the corn is ready for the grinder. You can use the ancient “metate”, but we are going to describe the grinding process using a manual plate grinder. Start grinding the corn in small batches twice or three times until it has a fine texture. Add enough water and mix until it forms a dough.
(This manual plate grinder could be replaced with a food processor, however, the texture cannot be duplicated.)
Enjoy!
If you have any questions, please send me an email or leave a comment.
Buen Provecho !Mely,More recipes:How to make flour tortillasTamal Casserole
Receta En Español
Corn Masa
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds of dried corn
- 1 Tablespoons of Lime
- Filtered water enough to cover the corn
Instructions
- Use clean corn seed, remove any chaff from the corn husk, rinse with tap water, and then remove any excess water using a plastic colander.
- Put the corn into a non-corrosive pot. Use 2 to three liters of water per each one kilo of corn. Add two table spoons of dried powered lime (Mexican cal) dissolved in ½ cup of filtered water.
- Transfer all these ingredients into a clay pot (preferably) and let it boil for few minutes (15-20 minutes), stir slowly using a wooden kitchen spoon. Remove the pot from the stove, cover it with a lid and let it cool overnight.
- You know that the corn is ready if it easily peels off when you rub it with your fingers after 15 -20 minutes of cooking.
- The next day, remove all the liquid (also known as “nejayote”), and rinse the corn two or three times rubbing off the loose skin, until the kernels are quite white and the water looks clean. Drain well.
- Now the corn is ready for the grinder. You can use the ancient “metate”, but we are going to describe the grinding process using a manual plate grinder. Start grinding the corn in small batches twice or three times until it has a fine texture. Add enough water and mix until it forms a dough.
Andrew Bennett
Hi Mely!
I l0ve your detail and have been making yellow/white corn with ease.. but I am running into a problem with Morado (purple) corn. I use the same recipe but I find the purple corn is still hard/grainy when I grind it. Ive used 10g of Cal and even cooked it for 45m, run it through my plate grinder several times and it's better, but it doesn't 'stick' together well, unlike the yellow/white. I am not rubbing off the purple skin very much after it sitting overnight in the calcium hydroxide. Is this my issue, that the bran is 'cutting the dough' and making it fall apart?
10g cal for 1-1.5lbs and 15m of cooking works great for my yellow/white.. just not the purple.... help!
Mely Martínez
Hello Andrew,
Blue corn variety is kind of tricky to work with. Sometimes, it is better to reduce the amount of cal, to avoid a yellowish color on the masa. w
Please send me an email to direct you to someone that works with this type of corn.
Flavius
Hi Mely. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
I have a question about making fresh masa and I can't find an answer anywhere on the internet. Can I make nixtamalized corn by using fresh corn, rather than dried corn? Every recipe I see uses dried corn. I am Westerner living in Malaysia and I can't find dried corn here.
If I can't use fresh corn, I reckon I would have to buy some fresh corn and dry it myself in my food dehydrator. That sounds like a lot of work doesn't it? You see, I have been in Malaysia for 6 years now and I love Mexican and Tex-Mex food but I just can't find it here, so I have to make my own because after 6 years I just have to have some fresh corn tortillas! Thanks for your help. 🙂
Mely Martínez
Hello Flavius,
You need to dry the corn and make sure it is not the sweet corn you find here in the states. If you dry it in a dehydrator it could be too hard for nixtamal.
Dry the corn like in the picture of this website. http://demandacolectivamaiz.mx/wp/2015/07/23/mexico-centro-de-origen-del-maiz-frena-a-monsanto/
Max B.
To make the nixtamalized corn into a dry powder, how long should you let the kernels dry after the process? Should you do so in an oven or for a specific amount of time at room temperature or in the sun? Would the process be similar or as lengthy as drying the corn before nixtamalizing it?
Mely Martínez
Hello Max,
This is what I do after I cook the corn and let soak overnight, rinse well, use a strainer to shake any excess moisture, and place on a baking tray. I also like to use one sheet for grilling that has holes to allow the heat to pass. Set the oven at 170F for 3 hours. Check the corn from time to time to make sure it is drying evenly since it can create moist at the bottom. That is the time I use to dry it for white corn, every corn is different and this is the only one I have dried out. Allow to cool after removing from the oven, and store in your pantry in cans, jars or plastic bags. I hope this information is helpful.
PS, You can also use an electric dehydrator but it will take longer.
Dale Thompson
What is the best way to store the unused corn that you have taken through the liming process.
Want to soak and clean a kilo worth but not grind it all for tortillas.
thanx,
Dale
Mely Martínez
Hello Dale,
You can keep it in the fridge for a couple of days, after that you will need to store it in the freezer.
DALE THOMPSON
Question:
Do you let the kernels dry after the liming and cleaning process or just start grinding while they are still wet?
Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Thank you.
Mely Martínez
Hello Dale,
You drain the kernels, and grain right away(wet). If the dough needs more liquid, please add clean water.
Eileen
Thank you for the help to make the masa.
Moji
Hi thank you for this detailed recipe!
Can I use fresh lime juice instead of the powdered lime? and would the amount be same or more/less? I am in west Africa and we usually buy our corn dried and then take it to the grinder so I am going to try this recipe before taking it to the grinder... could I dry it after removing the skin and then grind it?...
Mely Martínez
Hello Moji,
Dried lime is Calcium Hydroxide, no the limes that you use to make limeade. You can buy it online at amazon.
Kim Herrera
Lol,
Linnquist
I live in Norway, and authentic Mexican food and ingredients both are very difficult to find. I grew up in Colorado, and have family in both Texas and California, so am very familiar with what is the real flavor, what's Tex-Mex, and what is just someone trying to make a mass market product that fails at everything but to throw a few flavors in one place and rely on stereotypes and a sombrero on the bag. Sadly, almost everything that claims to be Mexican food here, is either the least authentic of the Tex-Mex, or somewhere in the third category. 🙁 BUT, I have run across dry hominy at a local Asian market. Can this, upon rehydration essentially be the same as the soaked and limed dry corn in this recipe? I am assuming it is the same process, as I understand hominy to be the same basic process to the corn, just without the full grinding. Think it might work, or am I way off?
mmartinez
Hello Linnquist,
Do you mean to make nixtamal, the process to cook the corn with dried lime to make masa?
Joe
Where can I find a manual plate grinder? Are they expensive?
mmartinez
Hello Joe,
I use the Estrela brand, I bought it at a Latin market here in the States. But you can buy it online HERE. Not sure why they cost that now. Seems like a lot of people want to make their own masa. Plus, do not use a food processor to grind the corn.
Pat
Hello, what kind of corn should we use for this masa?
mmartinez
Hello Pat,
Is called dented or Field corn here in USA.
Ade Aros
Hi Mely,
Thank you very much for your post, very details and helpful. I'm so addicted to corn tortilla wrap and tortilla chips. Created homemade number of times and I think I'm getting better. I really want to learn more and create business out of it. Do you have any suggestion on where I could learn how to make it on industrial scale.
I'll really appreciate if you can assist
mmartinez
Hello Ade,
Thank you for your comment, I really don't know how to start a process to make masa commercially. I see you are in Uk, there is already a factory in London that makes it. You can look for it online.
Leslie
Thank you, I have off a week in January, plan to try then, will let you know how they turn out
Leslie
I love your blog and recipes. I have always wanted to make fresh masa and use it to make tamales (hopefully with your step by step instructions I will be successful). I have 3 questions:
1. Can I freeze tamales?
2. When do I freeze them, before or after steaming them?
3. After freezing how do I thaw and cook them?
Although I have not made these yet, I am giving your recipe 5 stars, the pictures and step by step is better than any other recipes I have searched for.
Thank you Leslie
mmartinez
Hello Leslie,
Yes, you can freeze tamales, before cooking and after cooking. Thaw at room them before steaming in both situations.
Have fun making masa.
Anonymous
On day two when you "wash" the corn and remove the skins, do you throw out the skins and just use the corn kernels? Thank you in advance.
mmartinez
Hello,
Yes, just use the kernels, throw away the skins.