Marvellous Masa Harina |
Until a few weeks ago, to the best of my knowledge I had been using corn flour since I taught myself how to cook many years ago. After going gluten free I couldn't for the life of me understand why recipes weren't working when corn flour was involved (other than for use as a thickener). Batters were disasters and I just couldn't figure it out.
Then I discovered Masa Harina and all became clear. The stuff we get here in boxes is actually corn starch, Masa Harina is actual corn flour and they couldn't be more different. It's discoveries like this that only fuel my thirst for more and more food knowledge. I want to know everything my mind can possibly retain.
The simple act of combining a 250ml cup of Masa Harina with 200ml of chicken stock to make a dough has opened up so many meal possibilities for my gluten free diet. Those 2 simple ingredients have created truly amazing traditional Mexican meals that my gluten eating other half and me just cannot get enough of.
Though the most amazing discovery so far has to be the tortillas. I can't get on with gluten free bread and believe me I've tried. The DS Gluten Free ciabattas and baguettes are good gluten free options but sometimes I just want a fluffy thin slice of bread to put something on. The tortillas that we made with Masa Harina filled that gap.
They were soft with a hint of fluffiness inside, a texture that I haven't been able to enjoy since going gluten free. They were absolutely gorgeous. If for tortillas alone you have a pack of Maseca Masa Harina in your cupboard, you are in for an absolute treat, I would not be without this ingredient, there's just so many things you can do with it.
Previously we'd been buying ready made gluten free tortillas from mexgrocer, they were good, but then we didn't know any better in gluten free terms. Plus they worked out very expensive when postage and packaging was added. The gluten free tortillas we made from scratch were 100 times better than the ones we had been used to. Seriously, no comparison on taste or texture. They also work out dirt cheap if you make your own.
If you're on a gluten free diet and you want a bit more variation for your meals or if you simply want a bloody brilliant tortilla that is totally safe, scrumptious and easy to make. Get yourself a pack of Maseca Masa Harina and experience naturally gluten free food that you won't forget in a hurry.
See here UK peeps. For those of you in the States, here's some Maseca masa harina buying options for the US.
Our Gluten Free Tortilla recipe is really easy, you'll be able to make your own Tortillas in minutes as you'll see from the step by step photos and instructions.
Other Free From G recipes using the wonderful Maseca Masa Harina:
Pork Empanadas
Chicken Empanadas
Pancakes
Pork Tamales
Battered Fish
Fish Fingers
Southern Fried Chicken
Hong Kong Style Pork
Lemon Chicken
Chicken Kiev
Cockle Popcorn
Cheese Fondue
Fish Pie
Lasagna
Snap! Love Maseca! I get mine from http://www.otomi.co.uk/cornproducts.html and love using the tortilla press I also bought from there. The homemade are infinitely better than the ready made you can buy and you can pretty much fill them with anything and they're delicious. Great for using up leftovers or when you're trying to have a meat free night - refried beans and cheese is a winner in my house!
ReplyDeleteHa! I can't get enough of it. Great link btw, can't wait to have a proper look. Seems the masa harina is more expensive from them but the delivery costs may balance this out. Cheers!
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