Hominy is nixtimalized corn treated with Cal to release the vitamin niacin, making the grain healthier and easier to digest. This is how you cook Hominy, also known as Posole.
Our white corn posol/prepared corn porridge is subject to one of the most confusing naming systems in English and Spanish. Sometimes we share elements of our cultures across borders and they morph into something new. The best thing to do when talking about living kitchens is to relax and not get too caught up in what is “authentic.”
When dried corn is boiled and then soaked in cal (calcium hydroxide or lime), the husks on the kernels come loose and with a little rubbing and rinsing, they float away. The leftover treated corn is called nixtamal. If you hadn’t treated the corn with the veal and tried to cook it, you would be very frustrated – even several days later. The wonder of Nixtamal is that not only does the corn cook properly, it also releases the vitamin niacin it contains, making the treated corn healthier and easier to digest than the whole grain.
You’ll see dried corn kernels in Mexican stores across the US, but unless you’re in certain parts of the Southwest, chances are they haven’t been treated with Cal. Many people just starting out in Mexican cuisine have tried cooking this untreated corn and the results have been a mess. In my experience in Mexico, you can buy nixtamalized corn at some markets, in the refrigerated section of specialty stores, or most commonly in a can. Native Americans took the nixtamal one step further and re-dried it, giving us prepared hominy or posole. It’s really nothing more than dried Nixtamal.
In Mexico the corn is called corn. A rich stew with boiled corn is called pozole. In the United States, the grain is called posole and the finished dish is also called posole. Now relax and get past all those name calls and make something delicious! You wouldn’t believe how excited this conversation gets people! I say call it what you want.
To cook our prepared corn porridge, soak generously in water for 6 to 8 hours, then drain and discard the water. Fill a large saucepan with fresh water, add the prepared hominy and a sliced yellow or white onion, and place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a boil and cook. As with many foods, you can cook prepared cornmeal on higher heat, but you risk the kernels falling apart, which isn’t a good thing in this case. I usually reserve about 2 cups of the cooking liquid for the stew I’m making and discard the rest of the liquid. In and of itself it’s not very good. Soaked corn porridge, cooked to a gentle simmer, should take about 2 hours; It’s done when the grains are chewy and tender but not chalky. Use a lid to control the intensity of cooking.
Two cups (one pound) of dried prepared hominy makes about 7 cups when cooked. It is best used immediately, but can also be stored in its cooking liquid in the refrigerator for about 5 days.
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