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El Nixtamal: The Alkaline Transformation

Nixtamalisation — the cooking of dry corn in an alkaline solution (cal — slaked lime, calcium hydroxide) before grinding — is one of the most important food processing discoveries in human history. The Mesoamerican civilisations discovered over 3,000 years ago that corn processed this way became nutritionally complete (releasing bound niacin that prevents pellagra) and texturally transformable into masa (dough). The civilisations that adopted nixtamalisation (Aztec, Maya, Olmec) thrived; those that adopted corn without the processing (much of Europe) suffered niacin deficiency.

Overview

The complete nixtamalisation process — its chemistry and its culinary applications.

Source

MEXICAN CULINARY TRADITION — DEEP EXTRACTION

Cross-Cuisine Parallels
  • West African processing of sorghum and millet with ash (same alkaline processing principle — parallel discovery), Andean processing of quinoa with ash (same bitter compound removal through alkalinity)
Nixtamalisation — the cooking of dry corn in an alkaline solution (cal — slaked lime, calcium hydroxide) before grinding — is one of the most important food processing discoveries in human history. The Mesoamerican civilisations discovered over 3,000 years ago that corn processed this way became nutritionally complete (releasing bound niacin that prevents pellagra) and texturally transformable into masa (dough). The civilisations that adopted nixtamalisation (Aztec, Maya, Olmec) thrived; those that adopted corn without the processing (much of Europe) suffered niacin deficiency. Cuisine Browse all Nixtamalisation — the cooking of dry corn in an alkaline solution (cal — slaked lime, calcium hydroxide) before grinding — is one of the most important food processing discoveries in human history. The Mesoamerican civilisations discovered over 3,000 years ago that corn processed this way became nutritionally complete (releasing bound niacin that prevents pellagra) and texturally transformable into masa (dough). The civilisations that adopted nixtamalisation (Aztec, Maya, Olmec) thrived; those that adopted corn without the processing (much of Europe) suffered niacin deficiency. techniques →
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