Our family has a wonderful advantage when it comes to eating Mexican food! Our daughter-in-law was from Mexico and has introduced us to mole, pozole and flan just to name a few. However, I am nuts about her homemade corn tortillas! Join us in my kitchen today as we prepare the well-known Mexican bread along with a typical Mexican dinner.
We started with 2 c. of Maseca, or instant corn masa flour. This is made from ground, dried corn. It is ideal to make masa harina (dough) for tortillas, sopes and empanadas and enchiladas. Maseca Instant Corn Masa is a product from Azteca Milling. Maseca corn flour is gluten free. I bought this at our local Walmart store. The only ingredients are corn treated with lime. This is a gluten free product.
In large mixing bowl, add 2 c. of corn flour, 1 1/4 c. water and 1/4 t. salt. Using clean hands, mix together until it is all incorporated. If dough feels dry, add more water, one tablespoon at a time. My daughter-in-law has made these so often that she can just feel when the water and flour is proportioned right. You want it like a very soft play dough texture.
Cover with a damp cloth to keep dough moist. Pinch off walnut size dough and place on a plastic lined tortilla press. (she uses plastic wrap similar to Glad Wrap) Place plastic wrap under and over dough ball. A ball of flour tortilla dough is placed in center of press and flattened.
Her mother sent this hand-made tortilla press to her and it is treasured and very well-used. In fact, her daughter received a small one from Grandma too!
The tortilla is then carefully peeled off the plastic and laid onto very hot ungreased griddle and cooked. There is a delicate trick here in the transfer that has a learning curve! She makes it look so easy, but I ended up tearing quite a few.
When tortilla begins to change color (about 50 seconds) flip to other side for another 50 seconds. (approx.)
Cover tortillas with a cloth towel or napkin to keep soft and warm. They are best eaten right away, but can be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week. Tortillas may be heated on a skillet, griddle or in the microwave.
Prepare a batch of brown rice. Bring 2 c. of water to boil, add 1 T. chicken stock base and 1 c. brown rice. Reduce heat and simmer until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 25-30 minutes.
Open a can of these wonderful roasted jalapeno refried black beans and warm in a saucepan on the stove. They are already flavored and are the perfect accompaniment to our Mexican dinner. (and you can’t get any easier than this, right?)
Grill on hot oiled grill pan, two skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the following and add to cooked rice…1/2 c. diced red bell pepper, 1/2 c. chopped white onion sautéed in 1 T. olive oil.
Stir into cooked rice along with the juice and zest of one lime and 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro.
Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
I served these separately on a dinner plate, but then I layer them all in a warm tortilla and enjoy like a taco. Some, will roll the tortillas like a cigar and use it almost like a dinner utensil in their left hand, scooping and eating it right along with the rest of the food.
This is a very healthy meal that is loaded with fiber and low in saturated fat. This would be a perfect dinner to serve someone that is sensitive to gluten. Once you have tasted homemade fresh tortillas, you will not want to buy the prepared ones again! If you don’t have a tortilla press, you can flatten with a rolling pin.
My mom made homemade tortillas the other day but with regular flour. I really enjoyed them and liked that there were very few ingredients (and I knew exactly what was in the tortilla). There is a large Mexican population near by so I am sure I can find the corn flour.
Two ingredients plus salt…can’t beat it can you? Thanks for stopping by!