Mexican hominy, or homminy, is dried corn which has been soaked in an alkaline bath. It is then washed thoroughly to remove the hull and any trace of lime. The process is known as nixtamalization – leading the finished product to sometimes be called nixtamal – and dates back to 1500 BC in Mesoamerica. The alkaline lime bath allows the corn to keep a firmer texture rather than turning mushy. This means it can be used whole in Mexican stews such as pozole, flavoured with lime juice and salsa verde, and menudo, traditionally made from beef stomach in a red chilli pepper broth.
