Waj Tabasqueño de Maíz Nixtamalizado

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Cast iron comal or heavy clay comal
• •Tortilla press lined with plastic or two flat plates
• •Wide bowl for kneading masa
• •Woven palm tortillera lined with a cotton servilleta or banana leaf

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the masa

   Put the fresh nixtamal masa in a wide bowl and sprinkle the salt over it. Work it in with your hand. Add warm water a tablespoon at a time, kneading after each addition, until the masa feels soft and pliable but not sticky. Press a little between your fingers. The edge should not crack. If it cracks, it needs more water.

2. 2

   Rest the masa

   Cover the bowl with a damp cotton towel and let the masa rest for 20 minutes. This is not wasted time. The corn absorbs the water and the dough becomes easier to shape. A rushed masa gives you dry edges. The señoras in Tabasco know this because they make it every day, not because they read it somewhere.

3. 3

   Heat the comal

   Set a cast iron comal or heavy griddle over medium-high heat for at least 5 minutes. The surface should be hot enough that a pinch of masa touched to it smells toasted after a few seconds, but it should not blacken immediately. Waj is thick, so the heat has to cook through the center without burning the outside.

4. 4

   Shape thick rounds

   Divide the masa into 10 balls, about 3 ounces each. Flatten one ball between your palms or inside a tortilla press lined with plastic, but do not press it thin. You want a round about 5 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick, with even edges. Smooth any cracks with wet fingers. This is waj, not a paper-thin tortilla from the city.

   If the masa sticks to the plastic, it is too wet. If the edges split, it is too dry. Adjust with a dusting of masa harina or a spoonful of warm water before shaping the rest.
5. 5

   Cook the first side

   Lay the waj on the hot comal. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds, until the bottom releases easily and pale toasted spots appear. Do not move it around while it sets. Corn needs contact with the comal. That contact is where the flavor begins.

6. 6

   Turn and finish

   Flip the waj and cook the second side for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip once more and press gently around the edges with a folded towel or spatula. It may puff in places. Good. The surface should show brown comal freckles and the center should feel cooked but still tender. If it smells scorched, lower the heat. If it stays pale and stiff, raise it.

7. 7

   Hold them soft

   Transfer the cooked waj to a woven tortillera lined with a cotton servilleta or a clean banana leaf. Keep them covered while you cook the rest. The trapped warmth finishes the interior and keeps the surface supple. Serve the waj warm with frijol negro de olla, chaya, plátano macho, queso de poro, or salsa de chile amashito. Así se hace y punto.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh nixtamal masa from a molino is the first choice. Masa harina is a compromise, not an upgrade. If you use masa harina, follow the package hydration, add the salt, then rest it 30 minutes before shaping because dried masa needs more time to drink.
• •Do not add wheat flour. Flour tortillas belong to the north. This is Tabasco, this is the Yokot'an corn kitchen, and the waj is made from nixtamalized maize.
• •Chile amashito is the small wild chile many Tabasco cooks use for table salsa. It is sharp and local. If you cannot find it, use chile habanero carefully, but understand the flavor is not the same.
• •A thick tortilla needs a steady comal. Thin supermarket skillets heat unevenly and give you burned spots with raw centers. Use cast iron, clay, or a heavy carbon steel griddle.

Advance Preparation

• •The masa can be seasoned and hydrated up to 4 hours ahead. Keep it covered with a damp towel so the surface does not dry out.
• •Cooked waj is best eaten the same day. Reheat on a hot comal for 30 to 45 seconds per side, then wrap again in a servilleta.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 215g)