Toasted tortilla powder

In Mexico, we don’t throw away tortillas. While the best tortillas are the ones that come hot off the comal and straight into your mouth, even stale tortillas have practical uses in the kitchen. I cut old corn tortillas into strips and fry them to use in tortilla soup or to scramble with eggs for a quick, filling breakfast. I also toast them on the stovetop to make crisp tostadas—with no added fat.

You can also use old corn tortillas to make toasted tortilla powder, which adds a delectable smoky, “corny” flavor to your dishes. I usually use it to thicken soups and sauces, but you can also use toasted tortilla powder in place of breadcrumbs when frying meats and vegetables. In Chiapas, it’s an essential component of polvojuan, a condiment used to season corn on the cob and fruits like mango and jicama.

I recommend using 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of corn tortillas (about three dozen tortillas) since this will yield approximately two cups of tortilla powder.

Here’s how to make it.

1. First, you need to make tostadas—that is, toast the tortillas. I do this using a comal on my stovetop, but you can also use a cast-iron skillet or regular frying pan. (For even more flavor, toast your tortillas on an outdoor grill.) Heat your skillet until it’s smoking hot (you’ll know it’s ready when you flick water onto the hot surface and it immediately beads up). Then, toast your tortillas—flipping them frequently—until they’re completely dry and crisp. While you don’t want to completely burn the tostadas, ideally, they will have charred patches since this adds the delicious smoky flavor that you want.

2. Once your tostadas are ready, break them into small pieces and grind them into a powder using a blender or food processor. You will need to do this in small batches. If you use a blender, you’ll have to stop it periodically, remove it from the base and shake it to ensure that all of the larger pieces of tostada become finely ground.

3. Once your toasted tortilla powder is ready, store it in a dry, airtight container. Stored properly, it will keep for around one year.