Corn tortilla

InMexicoandCentral America, acorn tortillaor justtortilla(/tɔːrˈtiːə/,Spanish:[toɾˈtiʝa]) is a type of thin,unleavenedflatbread, made fromhominy, that is the whole kernels ofmaizetreated with alkali to improve their nutrition in a process callednixtamalization. A simple dough made of ground hominy, salt and water is then formed into flat discs and cooked on a very hot surface, generally an iron griddle called acomal.
A similar flatbread fromSouth America, called anarepa(made with ground maize, not hominy, and typically much thicker than tortillas), predates the arrival of Europeans to America, and was calledtortillaby the Spanish from its resemblance to traditional Spanish round, unleavened cakes andomelettes. TheAztecsand otherNahuatl-speakers call tortillastlaxcalli([t͡ɬaʃˈkalli]). The successful conquest of the Aztec empire by the Spanish and the subsequent colonial empire ruled from the former Aztec capital have ensured that this variation become the prototypical tortilla for much of the Spanish-speaking world.
Maize kernels naturally occur in many colors, depending on cultivar: from pale white, to yellow, to red and bluish purple. Likewise, corn meal and the tortillas made from it may be similarly colored. White and yellow tortillas are by far the most common, however. InMexico, there are three colors of maize dough for making tortillas: white maize, yellow maize andblue maize(also referred to as black maize). Tortilla is a common food in Mexico,Guatemala,Belize,El Salvador,Honduras,NicaraguaandCosta Rica.
Tortilla, from Spanishtorta,cake, plus the diminutive-illa, literally means "little cake". Nahuatltlaxcalliis derived from the verb(i)xca"to bake" with the help of the prefixtla- and two common suffixes -l- and -li(<-tli), that is "something baked".
TortillainIberian Spanishalso meansomelette.As such, this corn flour flatbread tortilla is not to be confused with theSpanish omeletteor any otheregg-based one.
The corn tortilla was first developed in Mexico, during prehistoric times. It has since become a staple carbohydrate in North American and Mesoamerican cultures. It predates its derivative, thewheat flourtortilla (tortilla de harinaortortilla de trigo), in all such cultures. This is because old world wheat was neither known nor grown in the Americas prior to European colonization.
In Aztec times two or three corn tortillas would be eaten with each meal, either plain or dipped inmoleor achili pepperand water sauce.Tortillas were also sold at Aztec marketplaces filled withturkeymeat, turkey eggs, beans, honey, squash, prickly pears and various preparations of chili pepper.
Analogous staple carbohydrates in New World cultures, all made fromhominyand serving a similar nutritional function, include thesope, thetotopo, thegordita, thetlacoyoof Mexico, and thepupusaof Central America.  Thearepaof northern South America, though similar, is made with ground maize, not hominy, and does not offer the same nutrition profile as foods whose maize has beenprocessed with alkali.
Thetamal(or tamale) of Mexico  is also made fromnixtamal(the Nahuatl word for hominy is the source of the term 'nixtamalization'), but is much thicker and a dish unto itself, usually including other ingredients and flavors.
Maize has been a staple food for thousands of years. It is the most-planted crop in the Mexican region. The country grows more than 42 distinct maizecultivars, each of which has several varieties. These varieties are estimated to number more than 3,000 by theInternational Center for the Improvement of Maize and Wheat (CIMMYT). The characteristics of each variety depend upon soil conditions, humidity, altitude, and its means of cultivation. Some of the earliest evidence of maize cultivation suggeststhat its original domestication was in fact simultaneous in several places.
Maize is the basis of most Mexican cuisine, with some exception in the culinary traditions of northern Mexico, where wheat is taking the place of maize as the cereal base. In Mexico, the primary use of maize is the tortilla, but it is also a principal ingredient in other foods includingtamalesand atole. The maize used for tortillas can be ripe and dry, but it is also consumed fresh and mature (maize), or soft and fresh (xilote).
Tortillas are consumed daily. Factory-made tortillas are widely sold, although they can easily be made at home. Tortilla production starts in the early morning as lunch is the main meal of the day for most people. In Mexico, lunch is eaten between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (1330 to 1530). Some supermarkets and grocery stores sell freshly made tortillas throughout the day.
Mexican and, more generally, Latin American dishes made with maize tortillas include:
A tortilla is made by curingmaizeinlimewaterin the nixtamalization process,  which causes the skin of the corn kernels to peel off (the waste material is typically fed topoultry), then grinding and cooking it, kneading it into adoughcalledmasa nixtamalera, pressing it flat into thin patties using arolling pin,tortilla pressor by hand, and cooking it on a very hotcomal(originally a flatterra cottagriddle, now usually made of light sheet-metal instead).The process, callednixtamalization, was developed indigenously by pre-Columbian cultures and predates European contact by many centuries, if not millennia.Soaking the maize in limewater is important because it makes available the B vitamin niacin and the amino acidtryptophan. When maize was brought to Europe, Africa and Asia from the New World, this crucial step was often omitted. Those whose diet consisted mostly of corn meal often became sick — because of the lack of niacin and tryptophan — with the deficiency diseasepellagra, which was common in Spain, Northern Italy, and the southern United States.
In Mexico, particularly in the towns and cities, corn tortillas are often made nowadays by machine and are very thin and uniform, but in many places in the country, they are still made by hand, even when thenixtamalis ground into masa by machine. Corn tortillas are customarily served and eaten warm; when cool, they often become rubbery or grainy as the cooked starchesstale. The largest tortilla producer in the world is the Mexican companyGruma, headquartered inMonterrey.
Traditionally throughoutMesoamericafrom pre-Hispanic times into the mid-20th century, themasawas prepared by women using amano(a cylinder-shaped stone like arolling pin) andmetate(a stone base with a slightly concave top for holding the corn). This method is still used in some places in Mexico and Central America.
The wheat flour tortilla was an innovation after wheat was brought to the New World fromSpainwhile this region was the colony ofNew Spain. It is made with an unleavened, water-based dough, pressed and cooked like corn tortillas. These tortillas are very similar to the unleavened bread popular inArab, easternMediterraneanand southernAsiancountries, though thinner and smaller indiameter. InChinathelaobing(烙餅), a thick circular "pancake", is similar to the tortilla. TheIndianroti, which is made essentially from wheat flour, is another example.
Tortillas vary in size from about 6 to over 30 cm (2.4 to over 12 in), depending on the region of the country and the dish for which it is intended. Among tortilla variants (without being, strictly speaking, tortillas) there arepupusas,pishtones,gorditas,sopes, andtlacoyos. They are smaller, thicker versions to whichbeans,chicharrón,nopalesor other ingredients have been added. They are customarily cooked on a greased pan.
InNicaragua, a type of tortillas calledgüirilasare also consumed. They are made from youngwhite corn.Güirilasare thick, sweet and filling. They are eaten alone, withcuajadaand cream, meat, or accompanying a dish. In Argentina, Bolivia and southern Chile, the size of the tortillas is smaller. They are generally saltier, made from wheat or corn flour, and roasted in the ashes of a traditional adobe oven. This kind of tortilla is calledsopaipilla(not to be confused with a puffyfrybreadof the same name common in the United States). In Chile and Argentina, it may also be sweetened after being cooked by boiling in sugar water.
In commercial production and even in some larger restaurants, automatic machines make tortillas from dough. A tortilla seller is, inNahuatl languages:tlaxcalnamacac[t͡ɬaʃkalnaˈmakak]orSpanish:tortillero[toɾtiˈʝeɾo].
An uncooked corn tortilla made with nixtamalized corn at 46% hydration and depending on corn variety used  and variations, consists of 45%carbohydrates, 3%fat, and 6%protein(table). In a 100 gram reference amount, a raw corn tortilla supplies 218caloriesand is a rich source (20% or higher of theDaily Value, DV) ofphosphorus(45% DV) andmagnesium(20% DV). It is a moderate source (10-19% DV) ofvitamin B6,niacin,manganese, andzinc(table).
Corn tortillas are the basis of many traditional Mexican dishes, such astacos,tostadas,enchiladas,flautas,quesadillas,chilaquiles, andtortilla soup. Warmed corn tortillas are also often served as an accompaniment to stews, soups, grilled meats and other dishes, as bread might be served in other cuisines. By contrast,wheat flour tortillasare often used forburritosandquesadillas, particularly in the United States. Corn tortillas may also be deep fried to make crisptortilla chips. These are often salted, and can be eaten alone or accompanied with varioussalsasand dips such asguacamole. Tortilla chips are a key ingredient innachos.