In Mexico, we can find gastronomy that makes us fall in love, and the secret ingredient has always been corn, the main ingredient of tortillas. In pre-Hispanic cultures, corn knowledge had religious, aesthetic, and economic organizational aspects. Therefore, people associate these cultures’ development with the cultivation and consumption of corn, which was associated with the gods.
Today, corn continues to be a fundamental part of Mexican cuisine and is the most widely cultivated seed in the country. It can be found in all the states of the republic, so we have the most incredible diversity of corn. There are approximately 64 types of this ingredient that vary in color.
The production of tortillas is the main form of corn consumption. In México, the creation of tortillas is also an ancestral knowledge of pre-Hispanic cultures. Depending on the state, the tortilla sometimes changes in size. The two most traditional types of tortillas are yellow and blue.
The Traditional Yellow Tortillas
The artisanal process of preparing the tortilla we all know and love begins with shelling and cleaning the corn. The next step is nixtamalization, which consists of cooking it in water with lime, letting it stand overnight, and rinsing it. Following grind, knead it by hand, shape it and cook it on a comal.
For a hundred years in Mexico, there have been machines to make tortillas, which led to the creation of tortilla factories. However, the product is different because they usually use cornflour. Although this type of tortilla is common, handmade tortillas will always be superior because of their unmatched traditional flavor.
Blue Tortillas: Mexico’s best
Some people say these tortillas are the best in Mexico and even more delicious than the yellow ones. The process of making blue tortillas is the same as the yellow tortilla. The only thing that changes is the type of corn, blue corn. Some tortillerías sell this type of tortilla. However, it is rare to find.
Food with Tortillas in Mexico
People use both kinds of tortillas for the same dishes, but they add different flavors, for example, tacos and quesadillas. It all depends on preference. On the other hand, the yellow tortilla is commonly used to prepare chilaquiles (tortilla chips covered with green or red sauce) or tortilla soup.
To learn more about the process and importance of corn, Puebla has a corn route. Similarly, Oaxaca has the cradle of corn. Therefore, it is only a matter of going to a market to find women next to a comal pouring tortillas to find handmade tortillas, mainly in Tlaxcala and Mexico City. A trip to Mexico is not complete without eating authentic handmade tortillas.
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