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1
If using dried corn stalk leaves, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes until pliable. Fresh leaves require only wiping. The leaves must be fully supple before wrapping — a stiff leaf will split and the triangular shape will not hold.
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2
Dissolve the tequesquite in 60 ml of warm water, allow the sediment to settle, then strain the clear liquid through a fine sieve. Discard the sediment. Work this alkalised water into the prepared masa, kneading until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and holds its shape without cracking at the edges — this is the alkalisation that gives corundas their characteristic texture and colour.
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3
Take one corn stalk leaf and lay it flat. Place a portion of masa (approximately 60–70 g) at the base of the leaf. Fold the leaf around the masa using the traditional Michoacán triangular technique — folding one side across, then the other, to form a neat triangular parcel. The masa should be fully enclosed. This step decides the dish: a loose or misfolded parcel will unravel in the steamer and the corunda will lose its defining shape entirely.
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4
Arrange the wrapped corundas upright in a steamer basket, folded side down, packing them closely so they support one another. Steam over steadily boiling water for 45–60 minutes. The dense plain masa requires longer steaming than standard filled tamales; replenish the water beneath as needed.
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5
Test doneness using the dough-pull test: unwrap one corunda and pull the masa away from the leaf. The masa should release cleanly and completely, with no wet dough adhering to the leaf. If dough clings, rewrap and continue steaming in 10-minute intervals.
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6
Serve the corundas immediately in their leaves, opened at the table. Accompany with crema, salsa verde, and crumbled queso fresco. The masa itself carries the dish; no further garnish is required.