Harinilla is a special type of blue corn flour known. It has a texture different from ordinary corn meal which is grainier. harinilla goes through a much finer grinding process. Harinilla has a special flavor caused by soaking dried blue corn kernels with lime, or calcium hydroxide. This soaking process results in the corn kernel expanding so that the hulls become loose and separate from the inside of the kernels. The resultant flour can also be called hominy, but harinilla, and its companion, masa harina, made of yellow or white corn, are slightly different. Hominy is frequently made with other solutions or chemicals with alkaline properties. Traditional harinilla uses only lime in the process.