Make tamales without the lard!

There are two reasons why you don't want to make Tamales:
1. They are TIME CONSUMING
2. You have had not so great tamales in the past that tasted more like a rubbery brick of corn flour and didn't even think they were that good
Here are two reasons why you should clear your schedule for tomorrow (you will need quite a while) and make THESE tamales:
1. This recipe is so legit-I learned how to make them in Mexico, in a village in the mountains, in a hut!  I mean how much more Mexican can you get
2.  These tamales are lighter and healthier and yummier than any tamale you can find anywhere and they freeze fabulously
So come on fill your freezer with these little corn husk wrapped presents, trust me you won't regret it!

 

When I do make Tamales I try to make several kinds and stock the freezer with them.  They make the perfect quick dinner or lunch and are impressive if you have unexpected guests.  The important thing to remember when reheating is to steam them rather than micro them.  The little modern device tends to create the bouncy ball texture we discussed earlier!  This time I made: Chicken, Steak, Corn and Cheese, and Mexican Greens

Your first step is deciding which filling you want to make (or try all four of them!)

Chicken and Steak:

Marinate meat in plenty of lime juice, 6 cloves of diced garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, and olive oil.  Let rest overnight and grill the next day.

Corn and Cheese:

Cut corn off the cob into a large bowl.  Season with salt, pepper and add a 3 Tbs of whole milk.

Mexican Greens:

Cut Greens of choice (here I used collards) into long thin strips.  Saute in olive oil with 3 cloves of diced garlic.  Add a can of fire roasted tomatoes and salt and pepper, cover on simmer until greens are tender.

For the batter I created the biggest modification compared to traditional Mexican fare.  Most recipes call for LOTS of lard, not butter or oil but good old fashioned LARD!  The first time I made these cultural treats, I made them true to recipe and found the overall result heavy and lacking flavor, plus I felt super guilty every time I ate one.  So I set out to make a healthier tamale and the result is a fluffier, lighter (literally!) more flavorful tamale!

The Most important thing when making tamales is your mise en place.  Assemble all necessary parts and create a well organized assembly line to fill your work space.  I like to have my corn husks, my batter, my fillings, slices of cheese, roasted poblano chilies, and salsa, or enchilada sauce. 

RECIPE:
1/2 bag of MASECA (corn flour found in ethnic aisle of grocery store or Mexican market)
3 T cumin
3 T chili powder
2 T salt
1 T garlic powder
1/4 cup oil
8 cups water

150 corn husks soaked in water for 2 hrs
tamale filling of choice

Mix all dry ingredients together and slowly add the oil and water.  Mix until heavy cake batter consistency is achieved.  You may need more or less water, the main goal is to achieve the right consistency.  If it is too runny it won't stay on the husk, too thick and your tamales will have the brick like texture we want to avoid. 
Once your batter is finished begin your assembly line.  Take a corn husk, shake most of the water off it and spead batter over most of the larger end.  Put a line of filling down the middle, top with sauce or cheese and begin folding.  I take both sides and fold on top of the filling and then fold the smaller end up to create a little package.  You can stack the tamales or begin placing them in your steamer.  My FAVORITE steamer of all time is the All-Clad multi-stock pot from Williams Sonoma!  This pan is amazing and I use it for steaming tamales and canning.  Once your steamer pan is filled with your tamales put them on simmer for 2 hours, be sure your pan doesn't run out of water.  (One trick is to place a penny at the bottom, when the penny stops rattling you need more water)  The tamales are done when the husks pull easily away from the dough, continue steaming until this happens.

You will love these little treats!  Your friend will love these, your man friend will love these, but warning they are the ULTIMATE KITCHEN EXPLOSION!!!!!