5.0 from 54 votes
How to Make Nixtamal
This is how you nixtamalize dried field corn. Flour corn is best for this, but you can also use dent or flint corn, even popcorn. Sweet corn doesn't work.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Resting Time
8 hrs
Total Time
9 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 228 kcal
Course:
Bread
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 kilo dried field corn, 2.2 pounds
- 10 grams calcium hydroxide, "cal" in Mexican markets
- 1 gallon water
Instructions
- Cover the corn with the water and stir in the cal. Bring to a rolling boil, stir, then drop to a bare simmer. Let the corn simmer, partially covered, for at least 30 minutes.
- Take a kernel out and bite it in half: You want to see it mostly cooked, but with a white, chalky center still. This can take as long as an hour, but start checking at 30 minutes. When the corn hits this stage, turn off the heat, stir once more, cover the pot and let it sit overnight.
- The next morning, use your fingers to sift the kernels in the now-sludgy water. You want to rub them well to remove the slimy pericarp. Pour the contents of the pot into a colander to drain. You will want to clean your sink's screen as the sludgy stuff will clog it.
- Rinse out the pot, then return the corn to it. Cover with fresh, cool water. Rub the kernels some more to get most of the pericarp off. (Here's a short video of the process.) Rinse in the colander one more time. You now have nixtamal.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
228kcal
(11%)
Carbohydrates
48g
(16%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
2g
(3%)
Saturated Fat
0.3g
(2%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
Sodium
15mg
(1%)
Potassium
164mg
(5%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Vitamin A
134IU
(3%)
Calcium
92mg
(9%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 228
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 228kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 48g | 16% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 15mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 164mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 134IU | 3% |
| Calcium | 92mg | 9% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.