We tried to follow a traditional path. We made one alteration. Our results at nixtamalization with baking soda did not go the right way. We still ended up with delicious grits. We combined 1000 grams of water, 10 grams of baking soda and 150 grams of un-popped popcorn in a pot. We brought the mixture to a boil. The popcorn turned orange in color. We simmered the popcorn for 15 minutes. We removed the pot from the heat and covered it. We let the popcorn soak overnight. The following morning we rinsed the popcorn. The hulls did not come off easily as we expected. We put the kernels in the pressure cooker and cooked them for 45 minutes. When they were cooked the hulls had split. We could tediously peel the popcorn. In frustration I put the warm popcorn into our food mill. I was able to separate the corn from the hull. The corn was starchy and rich. We added some of the cooking water to the flesh. The modified nixtamalization elevated the flavor of the corn. We had wonderfully full flavored popcorn grits.
Years Past
February 18, 2005
