When were tortillas born? We don’t know for sure, but tortillas have been feeding people in Mesoamerica long before Christopher Columbus arrived on the continent.

The nixtamalization process, used to make corn masa, dates back thousands of years. The Nahuatl word for tortilla is tlaxcalli, often interpreted as “thing cooked over coals.”

And honestly, I can’t imagine Mexican food without them.

What is nixtamalization?

Nixtamalization is the process of soaking dried corn kernels in water mixed with lime (calcium oxide). This softens the skin of the corn and makes it easier to grind, but more importantly, it unlocks nutrients that would otherwise be difficult for the human body to absorb.

After soaking overnight, the kernels are rinsed and cooked before being ground into masa, the dough used to make tortillas.

In ancient times, this grinding was done on a metate, a flat volcanic stone used like a mortar and pestle.

There’s still a metate in my mother’s house, handed down from my Nana. It was used to grind corn, spices, coffee beans and even meat. But for as long as I can remember, we bought our masa and tortillas fresh from the local mill.

The tortilla mill

Corn mills, or molinos, exist all over Mexico, no matter how small the town.

As a child, I loved watching the machinery work. At the back of the mill there was a giant metal cone where the masa disappeared from sight. A few moments later, little round tortillas emerged perfectly spaced along a conveyor belt, making their journey towards the oven.

They came out puffed up, hot and pliable, ready to eat.

At the end of the conveyor belt stood two women quickly stacking the tortillas into huge baskets lined with tablecloths. At the front counter you paid for your kilo of tortillas, then moved to the scales where another lady wrapped them in brown paper or your own tea towel.

In some molinos there was a little container of sea salt nearby, just in case you wanted to sneak a tiny taco using the top tortilla before they wrapped the stack. But you had to move quickly. And honestly? Nothing beats a hot tortilla with a sprinkle of salt. A simple reward after waiting in the queue.

Making tortillas in Australia

These days in Australia there are a few tortilla producers using traditional methods, and the flavour is very good. Unfortunately, I can’t make the trip every day to buy fresh tortillas straight off the production line, so when I crave hot tortillas at home I make them myself using masa harina.

The most common brands available both here and in Mexico are Maseca and Minsa, which you can usually find in major cities or online Mexican grocery shops.

And once you know a few tricks, making tortillas is actually quite simple.

The biggest secret is letting the dough rest properly so the flour fully hydrates before pressing the tortillas.

You also don’t need fancy equipment. A tortilla press helps, but you can use a rolling pin, a bottle, a flat plate or even your hands.

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Ingredients

Makes 6 tortillas

• 1 cup nixtamalized corn flour
• 1¼ cups warm water
• ½ tsp salt

Method

Place the corn flour in a bowl and slowly add the warm water while mixing with your hands.

Keep adding water gradually until a dough begins to form. You may not need all the water.

Knead until the dough feels similar to playdough — soft and pliable but not sticky. It should come away from your fingers easily without feeling dry.

Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

When ready, divide the dough into equal portions and roll them into balls. In Spanish these are called testales.

Prepare two sheets of plastic using a clean cut-up plastic bag or baking paper. Place one dough ball between the sheets and press flat using a tortilla press.

Cook on a hot dry griddle or frying pan for about 30 seconds, or until the edges begin to dry.

Flip and cook for about 90 seconds. Once small bubbles appear on the surface, flip again and gently press the centre. If all goes well, the tortilla should puff up beautifully as the steam finishes cooking the inside.

Wrap the hot tortillas in a tea towel to keep them warm.

Then comes the best part: eating them.

More than just tacos

Once you have tortillas, you can make tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas and countless other dishes.

Tortillas are the foundation of Mexican food.

Once somebody joked that Mexicans are liars because we use tortillas in different ways and somehow give every dish a completely different name.

But that’s the magic of corn.

Have a go at making tortillas yourself and remember: practice makes perfect.