KITCHEN PRACTICE 1 — Nixtamalizing Corn From Scratch
==================================================
Chapter: Mexican Cookery 2 — Nixtamalization: The Real Chemistry Behind Masa

TASK
----
Nixtamalize a batch of dried corn from scratch — simmer with
food-grade cal, soak, rinse thoroughly — and inspect the corn's own
real texture and colour change before and after.

WHAT TO DO
----------
1. Combine dried field corn kernels, water, and the correct measured
   amount of food-grade cal (pickling lime) in a pot.
2. Simmer for roughly 30-60 minutes, depending on the corn.
3. Remove from the heat and let the kernels soak in the same
   alkaline water for several hours, or overnight.
4. Drain and rinse the softened corn in several changes of water,
   rubbing the kernels between your hands to loosen and wash away
   the softened hulls.
5. Compare a few raw, unnixtamalized kernels against a few finished
   nixtamal kernels — colour, texture, and how easily each one can
   be crushed between your fingers.

WHAT TO EXPECT
--------------
- The nixtamalized corn should look slightly swollen and feel
  noticeably softer than the raw kernels.
- Loose bits of hull should visibly float away during rinsing.
- A finished nixtamal kernel should crush easily between your
  fingers into a smooth paste, while a raw kernel stays hard and
  resistant.

WHY THIS WORKS AS AN ANSWER
----------------------------
This exercise runs the chapter's own real chemical process end to
end for the first time, and gives a direct, hands-on look at exactly
what a genuine alkaline transformation does to a raw ingredient —
something no other course in this Subject has covered.