| In Mexico, traditional Christmas meals include tamales—small packages of ground cornmeal that are stuffed with assorted fillings, wrapped in corn husks and then steamed. Due to the time and energy required to make them, they not commonly made during other parts of the year. At the holidays, however, there are more hands to help out with the preparation and tamale-making becomes a social activity. With a little effort, you can do the same with your family.
Although tamales are usually filled with pork, they can be stuffed with chicken, beef, cheese, vegetables or even sweet ingredients. Savory versions are topped with either red (roja) or green (verde) salsa. Sweet tamales, or tamales de dulce, are filled with fruit. One popular variation includes pineapple, raisins and dried coconut.
Two days before Christmas, families start preparing the masa—ground cornmeal mixed with water and lard. Healthier versions exchange the lard for vegetable shortening, butter or stock. Customarily, people grind their own cornmeal, which is an extremely labor-intensive process. To save the effort, some preparers simply purchase cornmeal in the supermarket.
Kids love mixing the masa, which feels like Play-Doh. Assembly lines can be formed, with one person removing corn husks from the water, the next person spreading masa, the third adding the filling and the last one in the line doing the folding. Preparing tamales in your home can provide you with an excuse to learn a few things, too. Some ideas:
- Enhance foreign-language skills by counting each completed tamale in Spanish.
- Look at a map of Mexico and study the country’s geography.
- Discuss the nutritional value of corn—it’s full of fiber, vitamins B1 (thiamin) and C.
- Talk about the science of how corn husks are dried or how corn is made into meal.
On the morning of Christmas Eve, the corn husks are soaked and the tamales are stuffed. The savory tamales are usually eaten for dinner that night and the sweet tamales are enjoyed as a breakfast treat on Christmas morning.
Tamales can be made in advance and stored in the freezer for a month. Just steam them prior to serving. And if you have the stamina to make them at times other than the holidays, you can enjoy tamales year-round for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack.
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INGREDIENTS:
Fillings
3 dried ancho chiles
3 dried pasilla chiles
3 dried ponds chiles
6 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1 pound pork*, cubed
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
Masa
5 cups instant corn masa
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. salt
1 cup trans-fat free shortening or butter, softened
1 cup stock
*Beef, chicken, shrimp or vegetables can replace pork. |
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METHOD:
Place chiles in saucepan with 4 cups water until boiling. Remove softened chiles and carefully (use utensils) remove stems and seeds. Place chiles, 2 cups water and salt in blender. Mix until smooth.
Heat oil and garlic over medium heat in pan. Add pork and salt. Cook meat until browned. Pour chile mixture over pork and braise on low heat for an hour or until shreds with fork. Shred pork.
Rehydrate corn husks by soaking in bowl of warm water for 20 minutes.
In large bowl, combine Masa ingredients and mix until dough is formed.
Assembly
1. Take softened corn husk and lay on flat surface.
2. Using spatula, spread 2 tablespoons dough into thin layer that covers the husk--except at narrow tip.
3. Add a heaping tablespoon of filling in a vertical line down the center of dough.
4. Holding the husk, fold sides to center and fold the bottom tip of the husk inward--making a package sealed on three sides.
5. After all tamales are folded, stand them upright on steaming basket and steam in large pot for an hour, or until masa is firm.
Makes 40 |
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