STEVENSON'] EDIBLE PLANTS 75 



He'palol-^n Ls usually mado of yellow or black corn when wheat is 

 not used for the purpose. The corn is ground twice and the meal is 

 sifted through a very fine sieve. A quantity of meal is placed m a 

 large bowl, boiling water is udded, and the mixture is well stirred; 

 then about a cupful of meal which has been held in the mouth of 

 several young girls to sweeten it, is also put into the vessel. As each 

 girl finds it necessar^^ she ejects the meal mto a small bowl. Nine 

 or ten slabs, each about 10 by 10 inches, are stood on end in a cavity 

 in the same fireplace in which the he'we is cooked, and cedar wood is 

 placed around each slab and kindled. When the wood is reduced to 

 embei-s and the cavity and surfaces of the slabs arc adeciuately heated, 

 the slabs are laid to one side while the embers are removed and the 

 fire bed is thoroughly swept. Dried corn husLs are dampened and 

 laid flat and the batter is spread over them. Husks are then placed 

 along the edges of the stiff batter to a depth sufficient to prevent the 

 overlying slab touching it. The arranging in layers of the sheets of 

 batter and the slabs continues until all but one of the slabs are in 

 use. Then the remainmg slab is laid over the' whole and a fire is 

 kindliMl upon it. The heat from the slabs below and the fire above 

 is sulRcient to cook the he'palok'Ui, which remains overnight in the 

 improvised oven. 



Another way of cooking ht'pnIoHa is as follows: A large pot tilled 

 with the batter is set on a deep bed of hot embers m a permanent pit 

 outside the house made specially for the purpose. A small fire is 

 built around the pot, the batter is stiiTcd until it begins to boil, and a 

 stone slab is laid over the mouth of the pit on which a fh-e is kindled. 

 This process, which also includes baking overnight, has never been 

 in so great favor as baking indoors because "witches have gi-eater 

 opportunity to affect food outside the house, b}'' which those who 

 partake of the food are made ill." 



Corn he'paloHa is dear to the Zuni palate, though that made of 

 wheat is also regarded as a great delicacy. 



A more modern way of making he'palokia is to cook the mixture^ 

 in an iron pot placed m the outdoor oven used for baking light bread. 

 The oven having been properly heated, the pot is allowed to remain 

 in it overnight. 



He'palolcla is also made into pats, wTapped in corn husks, and 

 baked m the outdoor oven, which is heated as for light bread. This 

 process is regarded, however, as a mere makeshift. 



Portions of he'paloJila spread on cloths are diied m the sun when 

 the weather is clear, otherwise the cloths are spread by the fire m the 

 house. When thoroughly dried they are ground in the finest mill. 

 The meal is eaten mixed with cold water ; it is also eaten diy , as one 

 eats bonbons. In the past it was common to see an old man with a 



