Tamales

Total time 180 minutes. 60 minutes for dough, 60 minutes for fillings, and 60 minutes for assembly and cooking

Submerge the corn husks in water before starting the dough

Dough

60 minutes

The key to making a light tamale dough is to incorporate as much air into it as possible, so don’t skimp on the mixing times.

Yields enough dough for eight tamales.

1 3⁄4C                Masa harina

1 1⁄4C                Very hot water

1⁄2C+2T            Cold vegetable shortening or lard

1⁄4C                   Chilled homemade or low-salt canned chicken stock

1 1⁄2t                Salt

1t                        Baking powder

If you are going to use the corn and cheese filling add the following to the chicken stock

3/4t                    Cayenne

1/4t                    Ground cumin

With an electric mixer fitted with the whisk or paddle attachment, beat the masa harina on low speed, slowly adding the hot water in a constant stream to make a dough that is wet but not sticky.

Increase the speed to high and continue mixing for 5 min.

Remove the dough from the bowl; it should be firm and no longer wet.

Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 min.

Return the dough to the mixer and, with the mixer on high speed, slowly add the shortening 1 Tbs. at a time.

Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Continue beating until the dough is smooth and light, about 10 min. total

Reduce the speed to low and continue beating.

In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, salt, and baking powder.

Slowly drizzle this mixture into the dough.

Combine thoroughly, and then increase the speed to high

Continue beating the dough until it’s light and fluffy, about 5 min

Soak the dry corn husks for 120 minutes in a Pyrex dish with a weight on top to keep submerged in hot water.  You just need to put hot water into the dish at the beginning.  It can cool while the husks soak.

60 minutes

Tamale Fillings

Fresh Corn & Cheese Filling

In this recipe, the tamale dough gets a little heat from the addition of cayenne and cumin.

Yields eight tamales.

1C                 Fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

1C                 Shredded Monterey Jack cheese or a Mexican cheese such as queso fresco or queso blanco

1                    Jalapeño, seeded and chopped fine

1clove           Garlic, chopped fine

1⁄4t                Salt

1                   Basic Tamale Dough made with 3⁄4 tsp. cayenne and 3⁄4 tsp. ground cumin added to the chicken-stock mixture

In a medium bowl, combine the corn, cheese, jalapeño, garlic, and salt.

Spicy Beef Filling

You can substitute cooked and shredded chicken or pork for the beef.

Yields eight tamales.

2t                  Olive oil

1⁄4C              Diced onion

1 clove          Garlic, minced

1⁄2lb.             Ground beef

1C                 Diced tomato

1⁄4C              Diced red bell pepper

2                   Jalapeños, seeded and diced

1⁄4t                Ground cumin

1⁄4t                Cayenne

1t                  Salt; more to taste

1⁄4t                Freshly ground black pepper; more to taste

1⁄4C              Homemade or low-salt canned chicken stock

1⁄4C              Red wine

Tamale Assembly

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Add the onion and garlic

Cook until translucent.

Add the beef and cook, stirring often, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 min.

Stir in the tomato, red pepper, jalapeños, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper

Cook about 2 min.

Add the stock and wine,

Bring to a simmer

Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 min.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature

Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed

Assemble and cook the tamales using the tamale dough and tamale assembly recipes

With a spoon or your fingers, smear a thin coating of the dough over the broadest portion of the husk, leaving about 1 1⁄2 inches of space between the dough and the sides of the husk.

(For a husk that’s about 5×8 inches, use about 1⁄4 cup of the dough).

Spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling in a thin strip down the length of the dough.

Fold the long sides of the husk firmly over the dough, pushing the dough up to enclose the filling.

Overlap the sides of the husk a little, so the dough is completely enclosed in the husk.

Fold the narrow, tapered end of the husk over the lengthwise fold, and then fold the broader end up to overlap the tapered end.

With a piece of string or a strip of cornhusk, firmly tie the tamale closed around the overlapping ends

However, you fold your tamales, don’t fold or tie them too tight.

Tamales expand when steamed, and if the husk is too tight, the masa will burst through the husk.

Don’t fold or tie them too loose, either. Cornhusks make an airtight wrapper if they’re folded properly.

A too-loose tamale not only looks limp, but it can also allow steam to reach the dough, which can make the tamale soggy.

Stack your tamales on end in a steamer. About 16 tamales.

For best results, the tamales should not be packed too tightly in the steamer to allow some room for them to expand.

Add 1C water to the Instant Pot

Put the steamer basket into the Instant Pot

Steam in the Instant Pot on High Pressure for 40 minutes.  Natural release for 10 minutes.