![]() ![]() The nixtamalization also changes the texture of the flour that can form a dough that can easily be shaped in a tortilla or gordita for example, unlike a flour that would not have undergone this treatment.įinally, it changes the taste by providing a slightly sour flavor characteristic of real Mexican corn tortillas. This was very important for populations that only ate maize as it avoided the deficiencies responsible for pellagra. Masa harina thus has an improved nutritional value compared to conventional cornmeal, in particular with the addition of calcium, but also thanks to the reaction between lime and corn which creates amino acids and also allows the body to better absorb vitamin B13 during digestion. It also happens that this process made their food more digestible and nutritious. Indeed, it allows to detach the outer part of the grain, called pericarp, which has the effect of slowing down the action of the enzymes responsible for rotting the dough. This is a very old process, invented by the Mesoamerican people who realized that cooking corn in a mixture of water and lime (or ash) allowed to keep the masa longer. Nixtamalization is the origin of Mexican culinary culture. This flour is made with dried corn kernels, soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution such as lime water. Gordita is made from masa harina, also called nixtamalized maize flour. The settlers who were already breeding cattle, introduced filling the gorditas with pieces of beef, pork or chicken cooked in pork fat and cheese. The indigenous peoples were already eating gorditas before the arrival of the Spaniards but the filling was made of beans, squash or turkey. There really was a mix of both cuisines that is characterized by the use of new ingredients brought by the settlers to make ancestral dishes. Gordita is a good illustration of the influence of Spanish settlers on the diet of the natives. ![]() The outside should be crisp while the inside is soft.Ī gordita is very similar to an arepa, a snack that is popular in Venezuela and Colombia, but also close to the national dish of El Salvador, the pupusa, a thick tortilla that is stuffed with cheese, beans or chicharrón. A good gordita must have a thick dough, dense and slightly elastic. ![]()
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