What Is Masa?
Masa is used to make dough for,amongst other things, tamales, tortillas and empanadas.
Masa is a dough made out of maize (corn).
In dough form masa is called “masa de maiz” and in its powdered (flour) form it is called “masa harina”.
You can buy masa from your local Mexican, or Latino, store or good supermarkets (one of the leading brands is called Maseca).
You can substitute other flours for masa but you may have to experiment a little until you get the correct consistency in your dough with the substitute. The most popular substitutes are bread flour, all purpose flour and mixtures of corn flour and all purpose flour.
If you are finding it hard to find masa in your local store, you can always buy it online. Check out the Amazon.com link (at the start of this blog) for a range of suppliers.
If you buy masa and it is labeled “masa preparada para tamales” then the masa has been prepared to make tamales. If this is the case, then the masa may already contain baking powder and salt – check the packaging to see what the masa contains.
Try making tamales with masa – they are delicious.