Posole Stir Fry

I had a can of hominy, and I wasn’t sure what to make. I bought it not knowing what hominy is, but reading the label led me to conclude that it was some sort of Mexican corn. Although hominy is made from corn, it’s not like your typical corn on the cob. Hominy is basically dried corn with the hull removed, usually by lye in a process called nixtamalization. When I read that, I wondered if I really wanted to eat the hominy. However, apparently this process increases the nutritional value (most likely by increasing bioavailability), flavor, and aroma, while decreasing mycotoxins. When I did a search for ways to prepare hominy, lots of posole recipes came up, so I thought I’d give it a try.

After rinsing the hominy well, I prepared to make some posole. I knew I didn’t have any green chile peppers, but I thought I could substitute some chili pepper flakes for the spice. I also substituted bacon bits for ham since I didn’t have any ham. However, the biggest difference between what I made and posole is the lack of soup or stew. I didn’t realize that I had run out of stock and I didn’t want to wait until I made more, so I thought I would just take the ingredients I had and stir fry them together to make, for lack of a better term, “stir fry posole.” Having never eaten posole before, I can’t comment on how my (highly inauthentic) version compares to the original, but it certainly was tasty! All the flavors melded together to create something with a distinct Mexican flavor. This dish might be a good addition to Mexican night along with or instead of the usual dishes.

Have you ever bought an ingredient when you didn't know what it was? How did you use it?

Posole Stir Fry

by CJ Huang

A quick and easy stir fry featuring posole, along with some bacon and onions.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
			3 strips	bacon, chopped	or bacon bits
			2	onions, thinly wedged
			2 cloves	garlic, minced
		2 teaspoons		oregano
		1/2 teaspoon		cumin
		1 cup		hominy
		1 teaspoon		chili pepper flakes

Methods:

1. Cook the bacon, adding in the onion after some of the fat is melted, and cook until onion is slightly caramelized. If using bacon bits, just add onions to bacon bits and cook until onion is slightly browned.
2. Add remaining materials and cook until slightly done.