maíz pozolero
ingredient, Mexico
In Mexico hominy is maíz pozolero, the large white kernels used for the stew called pozole. Corn cooked with lime for tortilla dough is called nixtamal.
Meaning: dried corn treated with lime (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| maíz pozolero | ingredient, Mexico |
| Nixtamal | treated corn |
| Pozole | the dish |
You buy maíz pozolero dried or already cooked. It is the base of pozole, a soup served with shredded cabbage or lettuce, radish, lime and oregano.
Which one should you use?
Nixtamal is the process and the cooked corn used for masa. Pozole is the finished dish, not the corn itself.
When do people say it?
Pozole is common at birthdays, Independence Day and other family gatherings in Mexico.
Did you know?
- Nixtamalization comes from Mesoamerica and makes corn easier to grind and more nutritious.
Examples in context
- Compré maíz pozolero para el sábado.I bought hominy for Saturday.
- El nixtamal se cuece con cal.The corn is cooked with lime.
- Hoy hay pozole para la comida.There is pozole for lunch today.
Example conversation
Sofía and her aunt shop for ingredients at a market in Mexico City.
- SofíaTía, ¿llevamos el maíz pozolero?Auntie, shall we get the hominy?
- TíaSí, dos kilos para el pozole.Yes, two kilos for the pozole.
- SofíaY los rábanos y el orégano.And the radishes and the oregano.
