Tamales

We had an opportunity recently to make tamales with some friends from Mexico, and they turned out delicious. A tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican hand-held food made of masa (a starchy dough, usually made from ground corn), which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper or a corn husk, which is discarded before eating.

Tamales are a favorite comfort food in Mexico and street vendors all around the country serve them from huge, steaming, covered pots (tamaleras) or ollas. They are eaten as both breakfast and dinner, often accompanied by hot atole or champurrado and arroz con leche (rice pudding).

In Mexico, tamales begin with a dough made from nixtamalized corn (hominy), called masa, or a masa mix, such as Maseca, and lard or vegetable shortening. They can have either a sweet or savory filling. The most common fillings are pork and chicken, in either red or green salsa or mole, but you can stuff them with any other filling you can dream up: fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, chilie. Both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned. Tamales are generally wrapped in corn husks or plantain leaves before being steamed.

Ingredients:

· 3 teaspoons baking powder

· 6 1/2 lbs. masa

· 1 1/4 lb. lard or shortening

· Salt to taste

· Broth as necessary

Filling:

· 6 pounds of pork (cubed)

· ½ Onion

· 5 Cloves garlic

· 1 ½ t. Salt

· Roasted green chile, cut in strips

· Cheese

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring pork, water, onion, garlic and salt to boil. Simmer covered, about 2 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender.
2. Remove meat from broth and allow both meat and broth to cool. Shred the meat using 2 forks, discarding fat. Strain the broth and reserve 6 cups.
3. Soak corn husks in warm water for at least 20 minutes; rinse to remove any corn silk and drain well.
4. To make masa, massage shortening with hands for 1 minute. In a separate bowl, stir together masa harina, baking powder and 2 teaspoons salt. Alternately add masa harina mixture and broth to shortening, massaging well after each addition. (Add just enough broth to make a thick, creamy paste).
5. To assemble each tamale, spread 2 tablespoons of the masa mixture on the center of the corn husk (each husk should be 8 inches long and 6 inches wide at the top. If husks are small, overlap 2 small husks together. If it is too large, tear a strip from the side). Place about 1 tablespoon total of filling (meat, chile, cheese or whatever filling you’re using) in the center of the masa. Fold in sides of husk and fold up the bottom.
6. Place a mound of extra husks or a foil ball in the center of a steamer basket placed in a Dutch oven. Lean the tamales in the basket, open side up. Add water to Dutch oven just below the basket. Bring water to boil and reduce heat. Cover and steam 40-60 minutes, adding water when necessary, until the tamales are firm enough that the can be removed in one entire piece from the husk without breaking apart.

Tamales can be frozen easily and kept for future meals. Leave tamales in the husks and place in single layer in freezer bags. To reheat, steam frozen or thawed tamales again, just until hot (20 minutes).