All about Corn in Mexican Cooking

Corn is something, which everyone is already quite familiar with; after all, this grain (which is often eaten as a vegetable) is a staple of American cooking but in Mexico, corn is a food, which has a great importance to the country’s culinary tradition. From salads to soups, salsas and of course, as the basis for tortillas, corn shows up in a great number of easy Mexican recipes in one form or another.

Centuries before the arrival of the conquistadors, corn was a staple of the diet in what is now Mexico. The grain had long been used as the basis for tortillas and tamales as well as being eaten in a large number of other ways. The Spanish gave tortillas the name by which we know them today - the word means “little cakes” and is used to describe omelets in Spain, though the similarities between tortillas and omelets, of course ends there.

Speaking of tortillas, these are something, which are familiar to most of us in the US, though flour tortillas are much more popular at least for now. However, you will now see the more traditional corn tortilla for sale in many grocery stores across the country and they are quickly gaining new fans. Anyone who has ever tried a freshly made, warm corn tortilla knows why; there is just no comparison between corn tortillas and flour tortillas for tacos. If you have not yet tried using corn tortillas in your favorite Mexican recipes, then you should seek them out next time you plan to cook Mexican food at home - you are in for a treat!

Tamales are probably the next most familiar corn-based Mexican recipe to people in the States. Tamales are a classic Mexican dish, which predate the arrival of Europeans in the Americas and are a comfort food, which may be served at any meal, though they are more common at lunch and dinner. Made from corn flour and steamed inside of a cornhusk, this dish resembles polenta and may be filled with meat, vegetables, or cheese. There are also fruit-filled tamales and sweetened tamales, which are served at breakfast or as desserts.

Tamales are rather labor intensive to make, but this savory (or sometimes sweet) corn flour wrapped in a corn husk is something well worth the couple of hours it takes to make - served at a dinner party, they’re sure to impress.

Corn is sometimes used in salsas, where its flavor blends perfectly with tomatoes, herbs, and peppers. One common combination is black beans and corn, which makes a very satisfying salsa; you might have even seen some of these salsas at your local grocery store. Corn salsas are great with tortilla chips and wonderful with a taco (made with a warm corn tortilla, of course) or tamale.

There are also some Mexican soup recipes, which feature corn. One of the most popular Mexican soups, which showcases corn, is pozole. This is a spicy, delicious soup traditionally made with hominy, pork, and hot peppers. The combination of the corn’s earthy sweetness with the meat and the kick of the chilies is a wonderful one and you can easily make a meal from a bowl of this substantial soup.

There are even restaurants, which specialize in pozole; if you live in a larger city with a sizeable Mexican-American population, you may have one near you. This is a Mexican recipe, which is relatively easy to make at home - the next time you want to try making soup, try this delicious recipe, which features corn in a starring role as a change of pace.