Adding Water when Grinding Masa
And here’s one from Jane Lukens.
I’m somehow very attracted to corn, to masa and to all Mexican things that can be cooked from it. After destroying a number of grinders, I have a Nixtamatic. I’m still learning to get the best grind from it. It is not a stone grinder but is, basically, a motorized Corona (hand grinder).
My basic question is: in Mexico, do people add water when grinding nixtamal for the finest tortillas? I had always thought that no water was added for the best masa and that “wet grind” referred to the corn itself, once it is hydrated by the cal. . . .
I know from reading the literature (esp anthropological) that the cal is often listed as a 5% solution (of the weight of the water). I’m using much less, around 1%, which effectively softens the skins for removal. Diana Kennedy’s recipes are by volume but seem to weigh out at 1-2%. I wonder if the more intense solution would hydrate the corn to a greater degree, creating a wetter grind? I also wonder what % assures the nutritional transforms.
First off, assume all my answers are preceded by “around here” or “among grinders I have watched.” Mexico is such a big country and practices vary wildly.
The answer to the first question is that when grinding on the metate, the grinder does add water. The equipment that is laid out around the metate is the bucket of nixtamalized (cooked in water and cal) maize, the bowl to put the masa, something to pad your knees (often) and a small bowl of water. As the grinder does one pass after another (usually five for masa for tortillas) to reduce the maize to masa, she will put her cupped hand into the bowl and sprinkle on a little water if the mix seems too dry. Not much is needed. How this would translate into machine grinding, I’m not sure. But you want to end up with a play dough (plasticine) kind of consistency.
I have never measured the cal. The women I know usually just take a bit of cement and add it by eye. But I’m sure Diana Kennedy has and I’d go with the volumes she suggests (with one caveat below).
The cal does not so much hydrate the maize (that’s done by the boiling) as it allows the skin to be rubbed off (just the same technique canners use for getting the skin off canned peaches) and alters its chemical composition so that it has different handling properties when ground and different nutritional properties. If you use too much cal you will get yellowish tortillas that don’t have that enchanting smell and tend to be brittle.
However some women do vary the amount of cal. For atole, none. For tamales, a little. For gorditas and tortillas more. The grind is different for the latter three as well as I am sure you know.
Hope this helps.
