How to make a square tortilla and other recipes

the long version

Copyright © 2011 by Martin G. Robbins All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced without the written permission of the copyright holder. Introduction introducción When I was a young girl growing up, my mother made her own corn tortillas and I remember what a task it was. First, she would boil the dry corn kernels in a lime solution. She would use either white or indian corn (Indian corn is a tasty multi-colored corn). The white corn turned yellow. After the corn had simmered in the lime solution for about one hour and thirty minutes, she would take it off the fire and put it in a cool place. The corn after being cooked is called ‘Nixtamal’. Then the ‘Nixtamal’ was washed in cool water to remove the skins from swollen kernels. The liquid in which the corn was boiled was called ‘Nijayote’. I remem¬ber that mother would use this liquid to cure poisoned pigs, and when the cattle and horses had diarrhea. In those days everything was used and had a use. There was no other way. The next step that mother used to take was to crush the corn. She could have used a ‘metate’ (long rectangular rock with square corners). Instead she would spend some¬times an hour to completely grind the corn with her hand operated grain grinder. When the corn was ground so fine that it would be like dough, site was ready to make tortillas. She then placed a ball of dough in her wet palm. In a clapping manner she flattened the dough as she passed it back and forth between her hands until it was as thin as possible but still without falling apart. She had to keep moistening her hands after each tortilla was formed. A bowl of water was always at her side for that purpose. In the meantime, the wood stove was heating. When the dough for each tortilla was flattened as much as possible into the shape of a tortilla, it was placed on top of the stove (or on an iron griddle called a ‘comal’ until it was browned slightly on the bottom. It would then be turned over to brown on the other side. She would use her bare fingers to turn over the tortillas and she wouldn’t burn them. This is a tradition and custom of Mexican women that is lost to our fast modern ways and utensils here in the United States. Now you can buy corn flour (masa harina), follow the simple directions on the package, and make your own tortillas easily and without all the work described above. An even quicker method is to go to the nearest market and buy the corn tortillas already made and packaged. They are tasty of course. But if you want to taste a tortilla, the kind that was the staff of life for many generations of Mexican families, go through the process that mother did. It will not take many times, of course, before you appreciate not only the better tasting tortillas, but you will understand why most of the women’s day in Mexico was, and for the most part, still is spent in food preparation. Esperanza Mendoza Acknowledgements There are many people who are directly or indirectly involved in any cookbook. Editors, tasters, teachers, critics, and encouragers some taking on the role of all of these are greatly appreciated and are too numerous to name, and surely someone would be forgotten. Because of that it wouldn’t be fair to name a few. Each of you knows who you are and many thanks go you. Hope put her heart and soul into writing this cookbook and when Bernadine came into her life a love and bond between mother and daughter-in-law was almost instantaneous. Because of this love that Hope had for Bernadine she turned over the rights to the cookbook to her knowing that it was in good hands. And rightfully so, Bernadine’s cooking and ability to create new succulent dishes is short of amazing. For those who enjoy authentic Mexican dishes, including original recipes, enjoyment awaits you within these pages.