Seedy Homemade Corn Chips

Build your nachos on top a delicious, homemade foundation by making your own corn chips!  Include flax, chia and pumpkin seed for added texture and health benefits. 

Ingredients
3 cups masa harina
2 cups water
3 Tbs Flax seeds
2 Tbs Chia seeds
2 Tbs Pumpkin seed powder
2 - 3 tsp Salt (1 tsp for dough and the rest to ad to chips post-frying)

Canola oil for frying
Paper towels

Tools
Mixing bowl
Tortilla maker (or tortilla press and skillet)
Whisk
Pizza cutter
Saucepan (heavy enough for deep frying)
Steel skimmer or deep fry basket

Making your own corn chips is a multi-step, but easy process. 

Making the dough consists of the following simple steps...

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the masa harina, flax and chia seeds, pumpkin seed powder and a tsp of salt
• Add 2 cups water (I used an electric mixer, but you can do this step by hand as well)
• Turn out dough on floured surface and knead until smooth
• Form ball
• Tightly cover in plastic and set aside for 30 minutes

Now you make the tortillas from which the chips are made.  You may want to make a larger batch of dough so you can also make a stack of fresh tortillas!  Remember that tortillas keep well in the freezer so you can make a lot at once for later use.

• Preheat tortilla maker (or skillet)
• Divide dough and roll into 3" balls
• Press and cook in tortilla maker (or use manual tortilla press and lightly cook in skillet)

Simply cut each tortilla into eights...or into some less traditional shapes if that's where your head is at.  If you are making these with kids, you could pull out some cookie cutters : )

Making these yourself is more satisfying than just grabbing a bag at the grocery store.  Also, going through the process reminds you that nearly all chips are deep-fried and therefore shouldn't really be an everyday food.  However, once you perfect the recipe according to your taste, the store bought chips may not seem as tempting as before.

Now after being a bummer, on to the frying : )

• Heat canola oil - It should be about 375^oF (190^oC) but if you do not have a thermometer, set to medium and add a small piece of dough as a tester
• In small batches, add chips to oil and fry until lightly browned
• Remove with skimmer and set on paper towels to drain
• Sprinkle with salt before chips cool

Use for nachos, dips, salsa or just on their own!