Nixtamalisaatio
Nixtamalisaatio is a Mesoamerican process of preparing maize (corn). It involves soaking and cooking dried maize kernels in an alkaline solution, typically made from hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide). This process fundamentally changes the maize, making it more nutritious and easier to process.
The alkaline solution breaks down the pericarp, the outer layer of the maize kernel, which is otherwise
After soaking and cooking, the maize is rinsed to remove the alkaline solution and any loosened pericarp.