.JPG) A bowl of cooked hominy | |
| Place of origin | Mesoamerica |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Americas |
| Ingredients generally used | Driedmaize (corn) kernels, water,alkali |
Hominy is a Mesoamerican (Mexican) food item produced from driedmaize (corn) kernels that have been treated with analkali, in a process callednixtamalization (nextamalli is theNahuatl word for "hominy"). "Lye hominy" is a type of hominy made withlye.[1]
The process of nixtamalization has been fundamental toMesoamerican cuisine since ancient times. Thelime used to treat the maize can be obtained from several different materials. Among theLacandon Maya who inhabited the tropical lowland regions of easternChiapas, thecaustic powder was obtained by toasting freshwater shells over a fire for several hours. In the highland areas of Chiapas and throughout much of theYucatán Peninsula,Belize River valley andPetén Basin,limestone was used to makeslaked lime for steeping the shelled kernels.[2] TheMaya used nixtamal to produce beers that more resembledchicha thanpulque. When bacteria were introduced to nixtamal it created a type ofsourdough.[3]
The process of nixtamalization spread from Mesoamerica northwards through various indigenous tribes of North America. European settlers first encountered the dish in eastern North America, with the word hominy being ananglicization of thePowhatan wordrokahamĕn.[4]
Hominygrits became apoverty food during theGreat Depression in the United States. Because of this, there is still astigma associated with the dish, particularly among survivors of the Great Depression in theSouthern United States.[4]
To make hominy, mature dryfield corn (maize) is treated by soaking and cooking the grain in a dilute solution oflye orlime. The alkaline solution dissolveshemicellulose, the major adhesive component of the grain's cell walls, which loosens the hulls from the kernels and softens the corn. Also, soaking the corn in lye or lime kills the seed'sgerm, which keeps it from sprouting while in storage. Finally, in addition to providing a source of dietarycalcium, the lye or lime reacts with the corn so that the nutrientniacin can be assimilated by the digestive tract.[5] People consume hominy in intact kernels, grind it into sand-sized particles forgrits, or intoflour.
InMexican cuisine, hominy is finely ground to makemasa (Spanish fordough). Fresh masa that has been dried and powdered is calledmasa seca ormasa harina. Some of the corn oil breaks down intoemulsifying agents (monoglycerides anddiglycerides), and facilitates bonding the cornproteins to each other. Thedivalent calcium in lime acts as a cross-linking agent for protein andpolysaccharideacidic side chains.Cornmeal from untreated ground corn cannot form a dough with the addition of water, but the chemical changes in masa (a.k.a.masa nixtamalera) make dough formation possible, fortortillas and other food.
In Mexican cuisine, people cook masa nixtamalera with water to make a thick,gruel-like beverage calledatole. When they make it with chocolate and sugar, it becomesatole de chocolate. Addinganise andpiloncillo to this mix createschampurrado, a popular breakfast drink.
The English termhominy derives from thePowhatan language word for prepared maize[6] (cf.Chickahominy). Many otherIndigenous American cultures also made hominy, and integrated it into their diet.Cherokees, for example, made hominygrits by soaking corn in a weak lye solution produced byleaching hardwood ash with water, and then beating it with akanona (ᎧᏃᎾ), or corn beater.[7] They used grits to make a traditional hominy soup (gvnohenv amagiiᎬᏃᎮᏅ ᎠᎹᎩᎢ) that they let ferment (gvwi sida amagiiᎬᏫ ᏏᏓ ᎠᎹᎩᎢ),[8]cornbread,dumplings (digunviᏗᎫᏅᎢ),[9] or, in post-contact times, fried withbacon andgreen onions.
Hominy recipes includepozole (a Mexican stew of hominy and pork, chicken, or other meat), hominy bread, hominy chili, hog 'n' hominy, casseroles and fried dishes. In Latin America there is a variety of dishes referred to asmote. Hominy can be ground coarsely for grits, or into a fine mash dough (masa) used extensively inLatin American cuisine. Many islands in the West Indies, notably Jamaica, also use hominy (known ascornmeal orpolenta, though different from Italianpolenta) to make a sort of porridge with corn starch or flour to thicken the mixture andcondensed milk, vanilla, andnutmeg. In the Philippines, hominy (made from a localwaxy corn cultivarTagalog:lagkitan) is the main component of dessertbinatog.[10]
Rockihominy, a populartrail food in the 19th and early 20th centuries, is dried corn, roasted to a golden brown, then ground to a very coarse meal, almost like hominygrits. Hominy is also used asanimal feed.[11]
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 301 kJ (72 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14.3 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 1.51 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 2.5 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.88 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.48 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 82.5 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated usingUS recommendations for adults,[12] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from theNational Academies.[13] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Canned hominy (drained) is composed of 83% water, 14%carbohydrates, 1%protein, and 1%fat (table). In a 100-gram serving, hominy provide 72calories and is a good source (10–19% of theDaily Value) ofzinc. Hominy also suppliesdietary fiber. Other nutrients are in low amounts (table).[14]
