Over the past year, I have been experimenting with different kinds of flour. We stopped buying or cooking/baking with maida about 6-7 years ago. And, any cakes, biscuits or bread was made using home ground whole wheat flour only.
Over the past year, I have been experimenting with different kinds of flour. We stopped buying or cooking/baking with maida about 6-7 years ago. And, any cakes, biscuits or bread was made using home ground whole wheat flour only.
Lately, as there has been a frequent occurrence of family and friends developing an intolerance to the gluten in the wheat flour, it probed me to explore options other than wheat, when it comes to baking. In the West, gluten free options include almond meal, potato flour, banana flour, coconut flour etc.
Among the many flour options that I've used, banana flour was a favourite because the nendran was home grown and the flour was made at home. However, it was not an option that everyone could try because of the time required to make the banana flour. Though, we have abundance of fresh Coconut, flour made out of it is not that common. Yes, Almond flour is great but not cost effective to rely on for baking, each time.
That’s when we came across the yellow corn flour. In Tamil it is referred to as makka chola maavu. As we all know, the country corn variety grows easily in and around Coimbatore. This is much tastier and more wholesome than the American sweet corn. The traditional Indian corn kernels when dried are referred to as maize and then made into flour. Not only is this commonly available in all our stores but also does not burn a hole in the wallet !
This is different from the white powder which is also called corn flour or corn starch. That is made from the starch from the corn and is used as a thickening agent. The yellow corn flour is made from the dried corn kernels. When it is coarsely ground it is popularly referred to as corn meal.
That’s when we came across the 'Yellow Maize' flour. In Tamil it is referred to as 'Makka Chola Maavu'. As we all know, the country corn variety is cultivated at large in and around Coimbatore. Compared to the American sweet corn, the country corn variety is much tastier and more wholesome.
The traditional Indian corn kernels when dried are referred to as 'Maize' and then made into flour. Not only is this commonly available in all our stores but also does not burn a hole in the wallet!
This is different from corn flour or corn starch which is made from the starch of the corn and is used as a thickening agent in cooking. When the corn kennels are coarsely ground, it is popularly referred to as corn meal.
When it’s finely powdered, it’s ideal for baking and kneading into chappathis or mixing into dosai maavu (batter) to make makka cholam dosai (yellow maize dosai).
The most important factor to keep in mind when making a dough with the yellow flour is to use warm water and knead it well and then let it rest for about 20 minutes before rolling it out. When heat is applied via the cooking process, the natural taste of the corn is released which makes it so tasty.
Another interesting bit of trivia is that the American sweet corn has much more sugar content than our desi corn or even the heirloom corn which is native to South America. So, while the hybrid sweet corn variety maybe deemed to be high in calories that does not hold good for our country varieties.
Again, since corn is locally grown and results in easy availability of the maize flour, it’s a wonderful option to incorporate into the family’s weekly meal plans. It’s also great news for those seeking a gluten free flour solution for their baking requirements.
Home bakers, we hope you’re reading this. The next time your clients are looking for alternate flour options do give the yellow makka cholam maavu, a try. It has a fat content of 5-6%, thus making it a low fat food. It provides good carbs, has a medium glycemic index, contains manganese, magnesium, zinc, copper and high in fibre.
After all there’s a reason why popcorn is considered a healthy snack…as long as one goes easy on the butter that is !