Mexican corn & wheat tortillas

I am usually not into freezing stuff ahead of time for the busy days. Even if I am super busy, I do try and find time for a simple Dal Khichdi (rice & lentil savoury porridge) to be served with a chilled raita. Which is even better since that’s like a comfort food for me and calms me down if I am stressed.

Or if I am too greedy, I go for the one pot Pasta meals like this super awesome Skillet pasta in tomato sauce which really takes about 20 min of work and you are done. I can always take this much time out, however much busy I am.

The crux of the rant is- I don’t like freezing food for later. I like to have them as fresh as I can.

BUT. These tortillas have changed that. For good.

I love Mexican food but I am not the one to prepare it at home that often. If ever I do, I don’t like using store bought tortillas. Since again, being the fussy one that I am, I don’t like using processed food in my cooking either.

So what do I do? I prepare my own tortillas at home.

They taste so much better than the store bought ones and you know there are no preservatives in them. I have tried them three times already and frozen a batch each time for later use. Although me being me, I still don’t keep them frozen for long and finish them in 2-4 days. But they can easily be kept for about 3-4 weeks or more in the freezer.

These combination tortillas have a subtle corn flavor and the flexibility and larger size of wheat tortillas. This dough, too, can be made ahead of time and can be kept for up to 24 hours in fridge. Just make sure you store it in an air tight container.

Apart from the Mexican dishes, they also come very handy when you have some leftover curry or simple stir fry to go along with. So it’s the best thing for lazy days, or when I am not at home and S doesn’t bother to do anything but heat these up with some curry.

Lets see the recipe for these Mexican corn and wholewheat Tortillas quickly.

Serves: 5-6
Cuisine: Mexican
Course: Breads, Mains
Cooking level: Easy
Time: about half an hour, plus 30 min to rest the dough

What you need?

½ cup cornmeal
1 cup wholewheat bread flour (atta for Indian cooking)
1 tbsp cooking oil- I used sunflower oil
A generous pinch of salt
½ cup water + a few tbsp. more while kneading

How to make?

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the cornmeal and oil. Heat the water to boiling; add the salt and pour over the cornmeal. Wait a few minutes, until the cornmeal has absorbed the water and has cooled to lukewarm. Transfer to a mixing bowl or board to knead the dough (whichever you prefer)

Stir in the whole wheat flour and start kneading the dough, lightly sprinkling flour under it only as necessary to keep it from sticking. Use more water only if required.

When it is smooth and resilient, form a ball and place it in the lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel and plate, and set it aside for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

When ready, divide the dough into 6-8 equal pieces, form balls, and cover them. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 10-inch circle.

Cook tortillas on a hot griddle for about 20 seconds on each side, until lightly browned but still soft and pliable. ** Check the picture below for better idea.

Wrap them in a towel and serve warm with your favorite toppings or curry.

Notes:

These tortillas are best fresh, but leftovers can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated 1-2 days, then reheated slightly in a warm skillet or microwave. Tortillas can also be wrapped and frozen for up to 4 weeks.

Using the same procedure as above, you can also make Indian chapatti (roti/phulka). Simply skip the cornmeal and knead the dough straight with warm water.