How To Make Homemade Corn Tortillas

Who said that tacos should only be eaten on Tuesdays? Not us. Especially not when making corn tortillas at home is as easy as 1,2,3. All you need is corn flour or masa harina, water, tortilla press, and a cast-iron skillet. 

Once you learn how to make fresh tortillas, you are never going to buy them ever again. They are healthier, taste better than anything you get at your local supermarket, and they are much cheaper to make. You can also make them ahead of the time, pop half-cooked tortillas in a fridge, and reheat them whenever you fancy some Mexican food. 

Follow this simple masa tortillas recipe and learn how to make corn tortillas from scratch. 

What are corn tortillas made of?

Corn tortillas a made from two ingredients - masa harina and water. Masa harina is specialized corn flour that has been treated with calcium hydroxide or “lime.” Masa harina makes corn tortillas more nutritious and easier to digest compared to their sisters - flour tortillas.  

You can buy masa harina from specialized Mexican food stores or get it online. 

How to make corn tortillas

Ingredients 

Makes approx. 16 corn tortillas

•  2 cups of masa harina
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• Approx. 1.5 cups of warm water

Instructions

How to make the dough

• Pour 2 cups of masa harina into a bowl, add salt and mix it.
• Add 1 cup of warm water and mix it until it's absorbed.
• Now gradually, a few tablespoons at a time add more water to the mix while continue stirring.
• Keep adding water until flour forms into a dough, and you can start kneading it. It might take some practice as we are aiming for a dough that isn't sticky. If it is, that means you probably have added too much water. You can fix the situation by adding a little bit more flour and continue kneading the dough. If the dough isn't forming into a cohesive ball, that means you need to add a little bit more water. 
• When you have perfected your dough, separate it into 16 smaller balls. Aim to make them in similar size to golf balls. These should turn into 4 in tortillas. 

How to flatten corn flour tortillas

First, lay plastic wrap on each side of your cast iron tortilla press to prevent your dough from sticking. After flatting your corn tortilla, it should peel off easily. If it's sticking to the plastic wrap, it's a sign that your dough is too watery. 

How to cook tortillas

There are two ways how you can cook your corn tortillas.

1. Heat your cast iron skillet and simply cook each side for 1-2 min or until they are golden brown. 
2. Or heat the skillet to medium-high heat and cook each side for 10s. Then flip it around and cook each side for another 1-2 min or until golden brown. Don't worry if your tortillas start to puff up when cooking; it means you are doing something right! 

Voilà, you have just made your first batch of homemade tortillas! It's time to invite your friends for a long-overdue catch-up and some heartwarming Mexican food.