Tamales from fresh nixtamalized masa

Bring the water to a vigorous boil, then add the calcium hydroxide directly and stir it in.

Add the corn; do not let it boil again, hold it at little bubbles now and again, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks.

Cook about 25 minutes, until the kernel coats slough off and the bite is al dente; the corn nearly doubles in size.

Take it off the heat and let it sit 12 hours to soak up the rest of the solution; for tamales it could be used sooner, for tortillas it needs the full rest.

Rinse in cold water, working through it by hand to break up clumps and lift anything stuck to the bottom, until the water runs clear; two or three more rinses.

Strain out the loose skins and broken pieces, which clog the grooves in the mill stones and make the tortilla gummy.

Funnel the corn into the mill, adding a touch of water as it grinds, and catch the warm fresh masa below.

Masa has no gluten and cannot be overworked; if it dries out, reconstitute it with a little water. Dry maseca at home is brought up with water or vegetable stock.

Get the pan super hot with oil and cook the oyster mushrooms for colour and texture, loud enough to hear.

Add the shallots and garlic, then a little salt and pepper, and cook to a crispy level, adding more oil if needed.

Let the mushrooms leach their liquid and then cook it back down into them so the flavour is concentrated.

Puree to a silky smooth texture, adding olive oil and a little water to get it spinning; the puree must be strongly flavoured, savoury and salty, to carry through the sweet corn.

Put the masa in the bowl first and work it to warm and loosen it.

Scrape in the puree and squish it together until it comes together.

Add half the vegetable stock, bring it up slowly, then the rest; it will look too wet and that is fine.

Drizzle the oil in slowly in a thin stream to emulsify it into a fluffy texture, then add the salt.

Pass the banana leaves lightly over the grill to soften them; when they start to sweat they are ready.

Spread 60 grams of masa on the leaf as a bed, put 50 grams of cochinita pibil in the middle and bring the masa around to surround it.

Fold the leaf up and over to close the parcel, then roll it in aluminium foil deli style.

Repeat for the blue corn masa with the mushroom puree, adding fat and liquid by the same technique.

Steam 30 minutes, or about 45 if the steamer is packed in two layers, so everything is touched by the steam.

Let them rest a little before unwrapping.