The Flavor of Nixtamalization

• The nixtamalization process adds an extra dimension of flavor to ground corn, balancing corn's natural sweetness with a complex earthiness. Consider the difference in flavor between a slice of cornbread and a corn tortilla or a tortilla chip. The added component in the tortilla's flavor is a vital element in the flavor of tamale dough. Without this flavor, tamales would simply be cornmeal dumplings.

The Texture of Nixtamalization

• Dough made by mixing boiling water with nixtamalized corn flour, or masa mixta, has a different texture from a similar dough made from just cornmeal. Masa mixta has been dried and prepared for use as an instant tamale dough, which is reasonably similar to the traditional dough made from freshly ground nixtamalized corn. Masa mixta sets quickly, forming a dough that can be handled and shaped. In contrast, cornmeal mixed with boiling water won't hold together or allow itself to be shaped.

Nutritional Differences

• Cornmeal is relatively empty of nutrients. Masa, however, is relatively high in vitamin B3, thiamine and niacin, micronutrients that help to stave off the nutritional deficiency disease, pellagra. The nixtamalization process also adds calcium and makes the protein in ground corn more readily available through the digestion process. The traditional Mesoamerican diet revolves around nixtamalized corn, but people eating this diet rarely suffered from pellagra. However, Europeans and European Americans who subsisted on cornmeal during Colonial times often developed the disease because the corn they consumed was not nixtamalized.

Replacing Cornmeal with Masa

• Although tamales are not really tamales if you use cornmeal rather than masa, you can nonetheless get good results substituting some cornmeal with masa when making cornbread. Replacing all the cornmeal in a recipe with masa will make a dense and sticky cornbread. However, replacing about a fourth of a recipe's cornmeal with masa mixta will add an unusual yet fitting flavor to your cornbread batter.