Nixtamal

From “Tacos: Recipes and Provocations” by Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman

Makes 1 pound

½ pound dried whole-kernel field corn 1 ounce pickling lime (calcium hydroxide) dissolved in ½ cup water

Instructions:

Place the corn kernels in a 2-quart saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1 inch (about 3 cups).

Bring to a boil over high heat and let it boil for 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat, mix in the lime solution with a wooden spoon and let sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours.

Drain the soaked corn in a large colander and massage the kernels under running water.

You will notice your hands begin to feel slimy as the friction causes the softened hulls to dissolve and rinse away.

As you are massaging the corn, keep an eye out for stray stones to pick out and discard, as you would with dried beans. When the kernels look clean, you’re done.

Taste the corn; it should be slightly softened but still quite raw inside, and it should taste — like corn, obviously. This is nixtamal. To grind the nixtamal into masa, you will need a professional corn grinder.