The national bread of Mexico, a tortilla is a thin, flat cake made with cornmeal (polenta), from white corn, called masa. Tortillas are cooked on a griddle without browning, so they are quite soft and may be eaten like this or fried briefly in oil to crisp them. Masa is not readily available commercially in Australia, but you can buy soft tortillas in your local supermarket.
Tortillas may be used as a plate or scoop for other food, or stuffed with a filling and rolled up. They are also the basis for other dishes: a Mexican family might start the day with freshly made soft tortillas, then eat more tortillas at every meal throughout the day to accompany meat dishes or as tacos or enchiladas.
Tortilla is also the Spanish name for omelette.