2. Soaking. The older corn husks were placed in a large tank and soaked in fresh water for approximately 3 hours. However, the tender husks were not soaked, as they required a different treatment.

3. Cooking. A large pot was filled with clean water and brought to a boil. Then, soda ash (sodium carbonate) was added at a concentration of 12.5% of the weight of the old and tender husks. Once fully dissolved, the soaked old husks and the unsoaked tender ones were added to the pot. The water level needed to cover the husks completely. The mixture was boiled for 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes to prevent burning and ensuring even cooking. Additional hot water was added as needed during the process.

4. Washing. When the husks became soft enough to be handled by hand, the heat was turned off. They were then gently rinsed with clean water to remove the concentrated lye from the surface. The used lye was collected and reused in future cooking cycles to maintain efficiency.

5. Mashing. The treated husks were placed into a cylindrical container and crushed using a wooden stick. Fresh water was added, and the mixture was rolled to help separate the starch fibers from the husk material. This mashing process was repeated twice to improve the starch extraction rate.

6. Pressing. The mashed slurry was transferred into a cloth bag and pressed firmly, either manually or by placing a heavy object on top. This forced out a white, starchy paste. The pressing continued until the liquid no longer had a pink tint, indicating that most of the starch had been extracted.

7. Precipitation. The resulting paste was poured into a clean tank filled with water. As time passed, the starch settled at the bottom of the tank, while the excess water and impurities floated to the top.

8. Filtering and Drying. The settled starch was transferred into a cloth bag and shaken back and forth to drain the excess water. After being drained, the result was wet starch ready for further drying.

9. Drying. The wet starch was spread out in a thin layer and left to dry outdoors, away from direct sunlight, to avoid degradation of quality.

10. Packaging. Once fully dried, the starch was packaged according to customer requirements and stored in a warehouse for sale or distribution.

Although this method may seem simple, it requires some technical skill and careful attention to detail. It's recommended to start with small batches for trial production to refine the process. On average, about 1.2 kg of wet starch can be produced per kilogram of corn husks, and after drying, this reduces to roughly 0.5 kg. This traditional technique, though labor-intensive, is valued for its ability to yield high-quality starch with minimal chemical use.

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