What is Masa Harina?
If you’re a lover of Mexican food, you may have come across Masa Harina. If you’re curious to learn more about Masa Harina, continue reading.
Masa Harina is dried corn dough. You may also hear Masa Harina referred to as corn flour. To make this corn dough, dried corn is soaked in calcium hydroxide. Then, it’s dehydrated. Add water to Masa Harina and you have corn dough of your very own!
Masa Harina is available at some supermarkets, as well as Latin and gourmet markets. Typically people purchase Masa Harina to make corn tortillas at home. Masa Harina is also used to make tamales, gorditas, and a variety of other Mexican dishes.
Before the Spanish arrived in Mexico, most cuisines were made with cornflour. It wasn’t until the Spanish came to Mexico and brought wheat flour with them that popular dishes were made using wheat flour. Masa Harina is an excellent alternative to flour dough. Flour dough is whiter in color than Masa Harina, which is more of a yellow color. Flour dough is also more simple when it comes to ingredients and preparation. Meanwhile, the flavor of Masa Harina is more authentic to Mexican cuisine and it also offers more health benefits. If you’re ordering Tex-Mex, you’re more likely to find menu items made with wheat flour, while cuisine made in Mexico and Central America is typically crafted using Masa Harina.
At Jalisco, many of our menu items are made with Masa Harina. Try our Flauta, made with a corn tortilla rolled and filled with shredded beef or chicken over lettuce and guacamole. You can also order an enchilada at Jalisco to enjoy a corn tortilla filled with your choice of chicken, beef, or cheese, topped with cheese and enchilada sauce.
Jalisco Mexican Grill is an outstanding place to enjoy delicious Mexican food. We are located at 8389 S Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, Florida, and we hope you will visit us soon!
