Nixtamalised masa: the heart of Mexican tortillas and antojitos

What is it?

Nixtamalised masa is the base of Mexican maize cuisine: a moist and malleable paste that results from grinding nixtamal (maize cooked with quicklime) until obtaining a soft and workable texture. It is the fundamental ingredient for tortillas, tamales, tlacoyos, sopes, gorditas, huaraches, tetelas, totopos and practically all Mexican antojitos. Its traditional production involves a multi-stage process: cooking the maize with lime, leaving it to rest, draining it, rinsing it and grinding it on metate or mill. Nixtamalisation, a technique developed in Mesoamerica more than 3,500 years ago, transforms maize by releasing niacin, improving the availability of amino acids and providing bioavailable calcium. Nixtamalised masa is thus not only delicious: it is one of the most nutritionally balanced staple foods of the pre-Hispanic world.

Origin and history

Nixtamalised masa has existed since the invention of nixtamalisation in Mesoamerica, a technique documented for at least 3,500 years at archaeological sites in Soconusco (Chiapas) and Tehuacan (Puebla). The name nixtamal comes from the Nahuatl nextamalli (nextli: ashes, tamalli: cooked masa), reflecting the original use of alkaline ashes before adopting quicklime as the standard method. Fray Bernardino de Sahagun in the 16th century describes in detail the complete process of making the masa and its use in tortillas and tamales. Nixtamalised masa was maintained as a universal domestic technique in Mexico until the 20th century, when three innovations emerged: urban nixtamal mills (which cook the maize and grind it to sell it by the kilo as masa); industrial tortilla machines (which produce tortillas in series); and Maseca instant masa flour, developed by GIMSA in the 1940s and 50s, which allows masa to be made by adding only water. These innovations democratised access but introduced debate about nutritional and sensory quality.

Characteristic ingredients

The traditional production of nixtamalised masa follows several stages: first, dry maize (white, blue, yellow, red or cacahuazintle maize) is cooked with water and quicklime (1 to 2% of the maize's weight) for 1 to 2 hours over low heat. The heat is turned off and it is left to rest overnight (12 to 15 hours). During this rest, the grain absorbs water, the lime dissolves the pericarp cover and the chemical transformation known as nixtamalisation begins. The next day, the nejayote (yellowish water) is drained, it is rinsed several times with clean water in a pichancha and the nixtamal is obtained: whole, soft grains without skins. This nixtamal is ground on metate or mill to obtain masa. The final texture should be soft, slightly moist, malleable and without lumps. Types of masa vary by use: the masa for tortillas is more fluid; the masa for tamales is mixed with lard and beaten until it floats in water; the masa for tlacoyos and sopes is firmer. Nixtamalised masa keeps for 1 to 2 days refrigerated; it loses quality quickly due to oxidation.

Cultural significance

Nixtamalised masa is the most representative food of Mexico and forms a central part of Mexican gastronomic heritage. Traditional Mexican cuisine, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, explicitly recognises nixtamalisation and masa production as a fundamental technique. The tortilla, direct derivative of the masa, is the daily food of more than 100 million Mexicans and has an annual per capita consumption of approximately 75 kg. Nixtamalisation is documented by the FAO and nutritionists as one of the most important culinary techniques in the world: it prevents pellagra (niacin deficiency) and provides bioavailable calcium. In recent decades, the 'Sin Maiz no hay Pais' movement and projects such as Maizajo, Itanoni (Oaxaca) and various artisanal tortillerias revalue traditional nixtamalised masa in the face of the massification of instant flour. SADER (Ministry of Agriculture) and CONAGUA promote the rescue of native maizes and traditional nixtamalisation practices in producer towns.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between nixtamalised masa and instant maize flour?

Nixtamalised masa is made from cooked maize with lime, freshly ground; it has moist texture, deep maize flavour and better quality for hand-made tortillas. Instant maize flour (Maseca, Minsa) is dehydrated powdered nixtamal; it is reconstituted with water and is practical but produces tortillas with flatter texture and flavour. Both share the nutritional benefits of nixtamalisation.

What does nixtamalised masa taste like?

It has a deep flavour of toasted maize, with earthy and aromatic notes that release volatile compounds generated by cooking with lime. Blue maize masa has more fruity and sweetish notes; cacahuazintle is softer; yellow maize is more intense. Any fresh nixtamalised masa should smell intensely of maize and not have bitter notes (a sign of residual lime).

How is nixtamalised masa prepared at home?

1 kg of dry maize is rinsed, placed in a pot with 2 L of water and 10 g of quicklime. It is boiled for 1 to 2 hours until the grain can be bitten with loose skin. It is left to rest overnight. The next day, it is drained, rinsed 2 to 3 times with clean water rubbing the grain to remove skins and ground on metate or mill. Fresh masa ready to be made into tortillas is obtained.

Where does nixtamalised masa come from?

Nixtamalised masa is originally from Mesoamerica, with archaeological evidence of at least 3,500 years. It was developed in what is today southern Mexico and Central America. Today it is produced throughout the country, with regional traditions especially preserved in Oaxaca, Chiapas, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Michoacan, Guerrero and central Mexico.