Are Corn Tortillas Vegan?
Corn Tortillas are widely popular Mexican food. But the question is, Are Corn Tortillas Vegan?
Mexican foods are loaded with meat, chicken, and cheese, which vegans avoid. But Mexican food is soul refreshingly delicious. People think vegan people miss out on so much as they cut out animal-derived products.
The spices and varieties of stuff Mexican culture will change their mind. Mexican food is so diverse and classic that you should start your veganism journey with it. In this article we are going to figure our if corn totillas vegan friendly or not? Let’s find out.
What is corn tortilla?
A corn tortilla is an essential part of Mexican food. It’s made of cornflour and then fried. It’s used in making various foods in the Mexican kitchen. Tacos are made with corn tortillas, and that is a tasty treat for the foodies. It’s also used to make nachos. The corn tortilla is not wrong to enjoy itself either.
What is the source of corn tortilla?
Tortilla comes from the Spanish word tort, that means cake. The tortilla that is made from the finely ground corn is called corn tortilla. People of Sierra Madre Mexico has come up with corn tortillas thousands of years ago. And that’s how the corn tortillas came. Now it is famous in world cuisine, and people outside Mexico enjoy it.
Is corn tortilla vegan?
Vegans do not eat or use anything that has an animal product in it. A corn tortilla is made with cornflour, and water is vegan. There is no doubt about it. Earlier it used to be fried with lard, and that is not vegan. And there are some places which still make it with lard. It is saturated fat.
But now neutral oil is used for frying the corn tortilla. So it is vegan, and you do not have any problem enjoying the delicious corn tortillas. Check the labels before you get pre-made corn tortillas. To be extra sure, you can make corn tortillas at home. It’s not that hard to make at home.
Is corn tortilla better than flour tortilla?
Corn tortillas are made of masa harina. An excellent quality masa contains ground corn kernels high in fiber. It also includes vitamins and minerals more than the flour tortilla. Flour tortillas are more prominent, and that means more calorie count. Corn tortillas are lower in calories that helps you with your strict diet.
How to make corn tortillas at home?
The rubbery thing that you buy from the store called corn tortillas is nothing like homemade, soft, and crispy at the edge. Once you make it at home, you will never buy it from the store. All you need is a masa harina, salt, and water. A tortilla press will be handy if you want to be invested in this tortilla, making a journey. Or roll it like the flour tortilla that we usually make.
First, make a dough that will not be sticky or too stiff. Take a cup of masa harina and add a pinch of salt in it. Then put ¾ cup of boiling water in it. When the dough forms, the ball kneads well. When it’s done, it will feel like play-dough. If it is crumbly, then add a few drops of water into it.
Then heat a pan and roll out your corn tortillas. When the pan is hot enough to put your rolled tortillas there and fry it. You do not need oil to do it. If you have a scale, measure out equal amounts of dough and keep making the tortillas.
Finally, serve it as a taco or whatever you feel like. If you want to store the tortillas, put the tortillas on the pan for a second and then put it on parchment paper. Stack the tortillas one by one on parchment paper and store it in the freezer when it cools down.
Final thoughts
Yes, corn tortillas are vegan. You can stop worrying about it. Just bring some corn tortillas and make yourself tortilla chips, nachos, or whatever floats your boat. Mexican cooking is not fussy, so you have the freedom to put things as per your taste. And you are less likely to screw it up.
