Nixtamalization

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. This traditional technique involves using alkaline substances to transform corn, making it more digestible and aiding in the development of various culinary dishes
2. A method that uses alkaline agents to treat corn, enhancing its nutritional value and facilitating the preparation of a variety of foods
3. This process alters corn through the interaction with alkaline solutions, improving its flavor and digestibility for numerous recipes

Etymology: Nixtamalization takes its name from "nixtamal," a Nahuatl-derived term for corn that has been soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater. The process predates the word itself by a long stretch: Mesoamerican peoples used it to loosen the corn's outer hulls, making the kernels easier to grind into dough for tortillas, tamales and other staples. The alkaline bath also releases niacin, which people who relied on unprocessed corn largely missed out on, a nutritional effect the word's name does not hint at. The English form is simple in structure. "Nixtamal" is combined with the suffix "-ization," which turns a noun into a term for a process, so the word names the act of treating corn in this way. It is a modern technical formation built on an older indigenous word, not a term from classical or European roots.