White corn is a versatile grain grown worldwide, used for human consumption and biofuels. It can be ground into flour, made into tortillas and tamales, and soaked in lye to become hominy. Coarse cornmeal is used to make porridge, and hominy can also be mashed into masa.
White corn is a type of grain that is grown around the world, although it is known as “white corn” in some areas. White corn producing plants are versatile and grow successfully in many climates. While most of the corn grown is not used for human consumption, much of it is. It can be ground into cornmeal and light-colored flour, and can be dipped in lye to become hominy. Cornmeal made by grinding white corn is a staple in many dishes in different countries.
There are different varieties of corn with different colored kernels. In addition to white, there are red, yellow, purple, and also multi-colored varieties. Originally from South America, wheat spread rapidly through trade as early explorers realized it could be easily grown in different areas. While production is still primarily in the Americas, it has reached the entire world as a staple crop.
In cooking, white corn is often processed into fine flour. This cornmeal is an important ingredient in traditional Latin American cooking. It can be used to make a type of flat bread called a tortilla and can be mixed into dough and steamed for dishes like tamales. Cornmeal is also used to make corn chips.
When white corn is ground more coarsely, it is often made into a thick corn porridge. The simplest recipe is just water and cornmeal which are cooked together. Porridge is enjoyed in Africa and the Americas. It can be seasoned with salt and other spices or made with milk instead of water.
One treatment for white corn is to soak the dried kernels in a very light solution of water and lye. This process produces kernels known as hominy. Hominy can be cooked and eaten as is, or ground into a powder to create a type of cornmeal. The moist grains can also be mashed into dough and mixed with lime juice to create the Latin American food known as masa.
A large amount of white corn that is grown is not used in cooking. A significant portion of it is used to create ethanol from biofuels. Some of these are used in animal feed manufacturing and the other amounts are used for various industrial purposes.
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