No food colorings or dyes! Natural red and green corn masa for tortillas and more! I have been preparing colored masa for tortillas for a few years now. I have never used dyes or food color in them. The red is more of a burnt red than and the green is a bright green. But when cooked, the colors will become darker.
Cilantro, Jalapeño, Cactus, Poblanos and Finally Kale!
Besides the kale, I tried cilantro, jalapeños, cactus and poblanos in previous green masa recipes. The color was pretty, but not the intense green that I was looking for. The other day, while cleaning out some food ingredients from my refrigerator, I came across some fresh kale. I have been experimenting with natural juices and had it left over. I big light bulb moment happened right then and there!! What if I use the kale leaves blended to add to my masa for the green? I had just the three ounces and that was the perfect amount. The color is an intense emerald green when blended. It was a done deal!
So How Many Tortillas Does The Masa Yield?
Good question! Lol! I don’t know yet actually. I have not used up all the masa yet. I experimented with some tri-colored corn tortillas yesterday, but I didn’t finish. Today I will finish preparing the tortillas and add a follow up post with my results and new photos! I am excited. Below is a preview of how the tortillas turned out. Today I will use my larger tortilla press and try to press them a little thinner and larger.
Red And Green Corn Masa!
Quesadillas or Empanadas? Which Is It??
Every time I post these on social media, I get a lot of feedback as to what they are called. In some regions of Mexico they are called quesadillas, even with no cheese! Lol! In other regions they are called empanadas. Some regions call the red ones enchiladas! Call them what they may, I love them no matter what!
Natural Red And Green Corn Masa
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
Green Corn Masa
- 3 oz Fresh Kale remove long stems, then weigh 3 oz
- 2 cups water
- 3 1/2-3 3/4 cups corn flour masa harina
Red Corn Masa
- 2 oz dried red chile guajillo pods stems and seeds removed
- 2 cups water plus more for softening chiles
- 3 1/2- 3 3/4 cups corn flour masa harina
Regular Masa
- 2 cups water I typically use warm water
- 1/3 tsp salt optional
- 3 cups corn flour masa harina
Instructions
Green Corn Masa
- After removing the thick stems from the ends of the kale( you can use spinach or other dark leafy greens), wash and tear into smaller pieces. Weigh out the 3 oz or you can wing it and add roughly 2-3 large leaves to the blender. Pour in 2 cups of cool water. Cover and blend on high until smooth.
- Pour in 2 cups of cool water. Cover and blend on high until smooth. I have a power blender and do not need to strain it. Pour the liquid only(discard foam on top) into a large bowl. I didn't do this in the video, but you can mix in a little salt(1/3 tsp).
- Gradually start to mix in 3 1/2 cups of the masa harina. You may use less or more than the quantities I listed. I loosely scoop the masa harina into a (one cup) measuring cup. It's not packed in there. This is why I stress to gradually mix the masa harina to the wet ingredients. Mix for a few minutes until the masa comes together. It should feel tacky, but not sticky when it's ready.
- If you are unsure, cover the masa with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. Come back to it and if it feels sticky, then mix in a little more masa harina. When ready, wrap the masa tightly in plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. Or you can store in refrigerator for a few days.
Red Corn Masa
- At medium heat, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer.
- Remove the stems and seeds from the chile guajillo pods. If they look dusty, you can rinse them off under running water. Tear chiles into pieces and transfer to simmering water. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring the chiles now and then. Remove from heat when they look bright red.
- After a few minutes, drain the water from the chiles and transfer chiles to the blender. Pour in 2 cups of cool water. Cover and blend on high until very smooth. Again, I am using a power blender and I don't need to strain the chile sauce. Because it blends everything down, this will yield more volume(quantity) in the end. No waste.
- Pour chile sauce into a large bowl. Gradually start to mix in 3 1/2 cups of the masa harina until the dough comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and let masa sit for 30 minutes before using. Or store refrigerated for a few days.
Regular Masa
- Pour the water into a large bowl. Mix in the salt, if using. Stir to dissolve the salt.
- Gradually mix in the 3 cups of masa harina until the dough comes together. If any of the masa feels dry, mix in a little more water. Too sticky, mix in a little more masa harina. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes before using. Or store refrigerated for a few days.
Notes
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