Ingredients in Mexican Cuisine - Maize (Corn)
Tue, Oct 23rd 2007, 00:00
Mexican Cooking has featured maize (corn) through the ages ...
The ancient Mayans worshipped corn. They perfected the art of growing it and developed highly sophisticated techniques to make it digestible. At first corn was used to make gruels (called atoles) and stews with squash, beans, and chillies.
Around 500 A.D there was a revolution in Mexican cuisine – the invention of the tortilla. (Though the dish was only called tortilla by the Spanish because it reminded them of traditional Spanish round omelettes). Corn was ground and made into dough called masa. This was then poured onto a flat, clay comale and baked into thin, unleavened bread.
Still today, the tortilla accompanies every meal, used both as the eating utensil and as an accompaniment.
Purists agree that traditional stone-ground, handmade tortillas are infinitely superior to the modern machine made version. Traditional Mexican restaurants will have at least one person bent over a hot comal, turning out an endless stream of piping hot, handmade tortillas.
The versatility of the tortilla as a wrapper is endless. Tortillas are used for tacos and enchiladas, or as a plate in a tostada.
The Spanish introduced wheat into Mexico and now the northern states make their tortillas out of wheat flour instead. The wheat tortilla is common in Mexican border cooking and in south-western USA, though the corn version is regarded by many as the authentic tortilla. The flour tortilla is probably best known in the USA as the tortilla used to make Tex-Mex favourite burritos.
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