Blue Corn Tortillas
© by Lois Ellen Frank, Ph.D. 2021The corn masa used for corn tortillas is a treated corn that has gone through a nixtamalization process. This process for the preparation of corn is a process in which the corn is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater but sometimes-wood ash, which is then washed, and then hulled.The hulled corn can be left whole, creating hominy corn or posole or it can be ground into a masa and used fresh to make tortillas or tamales. Many times, the masa is dried and ground into a corn flour. Nixtamalized corn has several benefits over unprocessed corn. It is more easily ground, its nutritional value is increased, and both its flavor and aroma are improved as well as mycotoxins, which are found in corn, are reduced.Corn tortillas are readily available in all supermarkets today and are certainly an option when making taco dishes, but I would really encourage all of you to make your own homemade corn tortillas, if you can. In the time it takes you to go to the store and buy them, you could have made them. They are that easy to make.I can almost guarantee, however, that once you’ve held the dough in your hands, and placed it onto a cooking comalor skillet and made into fresh warm, moist, corn tortillas you are sure to become a convert.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white corn Masa Harina
- 1/2 cup blue corn flour or meal finely ground
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/3 cup water warm
Instructions
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the corn masa and blue corn flour, salt, and water and mix together until you have formed a dough. You can do this with a spoon, but I always use my hands.
- After the ingredients are completely mixed, using your hands form balls just smaller than golf ball and set aside.
- Preheat your seasoned cast iron skillet so that it is very hot.
- In a tortilla press, place one ball in the center of the tortilla press and press together to make one corn tortilla. I use a plastic bag that I cut in half leaving a seam on one side so that I can place the corn masa ball inside the plastic so that it doesn’t stick to the tortilla press.
- Remove the tortilla from the plastic and place on the cast iron skillet and cook the first side of the tortilla for approximately 2 minutes, then turnover and cook for approximately another 2 minutes until it puffs and that is the sign that the tortilla is done.
- Place the cooked tortilla in a kitchen towel inside a basket or bowl andprepare the next tortilla following the same steps. Stack the tortillas on top of each other tokeep them warm inside the towel.
- Serve warm with your favorite taco recipe.
Notes
Amount per serving
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calories 23
total fat 0.3g 0%
saturated fat 0g 0%
cholesterol 0mg 0%
sodium 117mg 5%
total carbohydrates 5g 2%
dietary fiber 0.7g 3%
total sugars 0g
protein 0.2g
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calcium 18mg 1%
iron 0mg 1%
potassium 28mg 1%