>Hominy (aka Nixtamal) it's called, made by soaking/boiling dried, shelled
>corn in either lye water (wood ashes + water) or lime water (calcium
>carbonate).

>I really have to marvel
>how the the native North, Central, and South Americans figured out this
>nutritional problem and strategy to overcome it so many thousands of years
>ago.
>
>Theola

Yes, I've often wondered how primitive peoples came up with the idea to
treat some foods with caustic substances.