Nixtamal (Half-Cooked Hominy)

USES:
for stone-grinding into a paste (masa) for corn tortillas, tamales and other dishes; for boiling into fully cooked hominy for pozole (pork and hominy soup).

FINDING:
Tortilla factories and the refrigerator or freezer cases of some Mexican groceries.

CHOOSING:
The hull that turns yellow orange during the corns brief cooking with calcium hydroxide should be washed off, leaving a white, pale yellow or gray-blue kernel, depending on the kernel color to begin with. If it is not, rinse the nixtamal well.

STORING:
In the refrigerator, well covered, for 3 days; in the freezer for 3 months.