Masa, Masa Harina

[Merna]

Masa is the plain, wet stone ground dough made with a special corn known as Nixtamal. Fresh masa is sold two different ways: prepared and unprepared. Prepared masa is plain masa which has been mixed with lard and salt only. This type of masa yields heavy, greasy, drier dough. Masa is the dough used mainly for tortillas and tamales. It is made from dried corn kernels which has been cooked in limewater, then ground while wet. Masa Harina is flour made from dried masa.