35
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Can I make popcorn with any corn?
The answer it seems is - no, you can't just use any variety of corn. It seems that you need in particular a hard shell around the kernel that is not present in sweetcorn varieties.
I also suspect ...
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25
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Can I make popcorn with any corn?
It's a children's book, but The Popcorn Book by Tomie de Paola is actually a very comprehensive summary on the history and science of popcorn.
Popcorn pops because the kernels contain small amounts ...
- 553
23
votes
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What can you do with leftover corn husks?
Options:
Traditional: line the bottom of the tamale steamer basket with them.
Modern: Steam something else in them, like halibut.
Marie Kondo: Compost them.
- 61.4k
16
votes
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How can one cook corn on an open grill?
Is the corn still in the husk ?
Do you have aluminium foil ?
Keep the corn in the husk and roast until cooked; it's better to remove some of the leaves and dip them in water to add some moisture to ...
- 20.5k
16
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How can one cook corn on an open grill?
Even husked corn can be nicely roasted on an open grill. Use gentle heat, turning frequently until the kernels are golden. Some kernels will be darker, even charred a bit, but I find that enjoyable.
- 73.8k
16
votes
Substitute for celery in Thanksgiving stuffing
You don't need to substitute anything, you can just leave it out. I've made both regular and cornbread stuffing with and without celery and I've never felt it was missing anything without celery, in ...
- 75.4k
15
votes
Can I make popcorn with any corn?
No, you need popping corn. Popcorn works because
it contains the right kind of starch;
it has a hard husk that is quite waterproof;
it contains the right amount of moisture (14–20%, according to ...
- 3,241
11
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How do you make homemade tortillas if the masa or corn meal is raw?
In order for you to make tortillas, the corn needs to be nixtamalized, which you need to do when the corn is in its whole kernel form. Nixtamalization uses lime (cal), not yeast.
Since the corn will ...
- 61.4k
9
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What is a reasonable culinary substitute for cucurbita maxima or other pumpkins used in pie and bread?
Sweet potato is similar to pumpkin in pies (and some feel superior), and would probably work well in quick breads and muffins as well. Spices in these types of baked goods are generally predominant ...
- 5,468
8
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Ears of corn in grams
I agree with @rumtscho that you are unlikely to get the desired results from canned corn as you really probably need raw. If you do try canned, make sure it is whole kernel type and that might ...
- 8,673
8
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Homemade Corn Flour
If you could, what you get wouldn't be your standard corn meal.
There are a few different varieties of corn, and what you get frozen would be 'sweet corn'. Corn meal and corn masa are made from ...
- 80k
8
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Can I make popcorn with any corn?
In Bolivia we have this kind of giant popcorn, called "Pasankalla":
I do not know what type of corn is used to create it, but obviously is not the same one used to create ordinary popcorn.
Bon ...
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8
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Substitute for celery in Thanksgiving stuffing
In my experience, the stalks of swiss chard have a very similar mouthfeel to celery. I find the stalks more fibrous, but that shouldn't be a problem given you'll be cooking them.
Chard is a member of ...
- 315
7
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Nixtamilizing Corn for Tortillas
Too long for comment so:
I should think fresh would work. It's just dried that comes prehydrated. I'd cut down on boiling time. Say 5 cup corn, 1.5 gallon water, 1/4 cup CaOH (Cal, slaked lime, ...
- 11.7k
7
votes
What are the parts of the corn plant?
Corn has husk, silk and kernels. In the middle there is the cob, which only becomes visible after you have eaten the kernels.
The husk is, botanically speaking, formed of leaves, but it has a ...
- 137k
7
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Why is corn nixtamalized?
Nixtamalization is a culinary process that begins with dried corn kernels (maize), and uses alkalinity to alter the chemistry of the corn. The process is thousands of years old, first recorded by the ...
- 73.8k
6
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What kinds of corn can be nixtamalized?
Well, it looks like I found my answer:
Field corn is used for creating masa de maíz (see this link for my source). Field corn includes a few types of corn (dent, flour, flint, waxy). I'm not sure if ...
- 1,113
6
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Are any corn products in the United States made from nixtamalized corn?
Masa Harina is nixtamalized corn flour, as is anything made from it. So, most corn tortillas you can buy are, as are premade tamales, sopes, etc. While you may come across varieties made from non-...
- 61.4k
5
votes
Deep frying corn kernels starts busting/exploding in oil
It sounds to me like you are accidentally making popcorn, which is a result of hot gasses building up inside the hull of the kernel. Fresh kernels typically have a tougher hull than frozen or canned, ...
- 473
5
votes
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Processing corn into hominy
It is likely that you didn't boil/cook long enough...or didn't include a rinse then cook step after the initial boil. It sounds like you were closer to nixtamalized corn used to make masa. Hominy ...
- 73.8k
4
votes
What is the difference between corn flour and corn meal?
Possible definitions are available in a recent publication of Annals of New York Academy of Sciences - look for table 4.
Corn meal is listed as particle size from 300 to 600µm, with fat content of 1....
4
votes
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Substitute nixtamalized corn flour for corn meal + corn starch
I don't think that substitution will work out as you wanted.
Nixmatalization changes the composition of the corn hull, the treatment weakens the tough outer shell and generally makes it very ...
- 11.8k
4
votes
How can I make corn tortillas as thin as store bought?
There are a variety of reasons your tortillas might be thicker than you'd like. My first tip to you is to line your tortilla press with a thick plastic sheet on each side instead of paper; I use a ...
- 61.4k
4
votes
What is a reasonable culinary substitute for cucurbita maxima or other pumpkins used in pie and bread?
It depends why you are substituting. Many other winter squashes (butternut, acorn, delicata) will probably do, if it's an issue of availability in your area.
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3
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Nixtamilizing Corn for Tortillas
Since you posted this, I've dug into a couple of my cookbooks that have instructions on corn nixtamalization, such as Hot Bread Kitchen, and looked at multiple Internet resources (see below). Every ...
- 61.4k
3
votes
How can I roast hominy while minimizing the popping?
I would suggest puncturing or cutting into the kernels, actually.
Popping usually happens when the steam trapped inside expands enough to force its way out of the hull - if the hull itself is ...
- 11.8k
3
votes
Trouble making corn tortillas
Old post but the way I get my corn tortillas thin is putting the ball between plastic wrap and using a glass casserole dish to flatten them it works better than a press I think the tortillas are still ...
- 31
3
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DIY Masa Harina
My understanding is that masa harina is the flour. I think the literal translation is "dough flour." This is typically sold in markets in a bag. One mixes in water and forms the masa, which is used ...
- 73.8k
3
votes
Accepted
Why does water color go red when you boil maizes or lentils? Is it bad?
This is probably due to anthocyanins present in the maize and lentils. Despite the possibly worrying sounding 'cyanin', anthocyanins are antioxidants and if anything, beneficial to one's diet. Anyway ...
- 2,406
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