What are Tamales?
Tamales are a traditional Latin American dish made of masa (a dough made from nixtamalized corn) filled with meats, cheeses, or vegetables, wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves, and steamed until tender.
Ingredients
8-ounce package of corn husksTamale Dough
4 cups masa harina (corn flour)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups veggie broth or water more as needed
1 1/4 cups of melted coconut oil
Green Chili Cheese Filling
Jack pepper cheese shredded 3 cups
you can use green chilies chopped as per your taste
Serve with optional toppings: salsa or pico de gallo, sour cream, hot sauce, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, or chipotle mayo.
Instruction
Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water for 30 to 45 minutes.
Make the tamale dough. In a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, whisk masa harina flour, salt, and baking powder well. Add the broth and melted coconut oil. Whisk until light and fluffy. If the dough feels dry or crumbly, add a little more broth or water, just a little at a time, until the dough is soft and pliable, like peanut butter. Chill until ready to use. Tip: If you have time, let the tamale dough rest for 30-90 minutes in the fridge, then re-whip. OR you can make the dough with your hands.
Mix the filling ingredients together in a medium bowl- grated cheese and drained chilies.
Assemble the tamales. Place a soaked corn husk on the counter, rough side down, pat the inside dry with a towel, spread 1/4 cup masa dough using a spoon, and pat into a 5 x 5 square, 3/4 inch away from the straight-sided edge (and 1-2 inches away from the pointy end).
Steam. Place a steamer basket in the bottom of a large pot with water underneath. Add the tamales upright with the folded end down (open side up). Bring water to a boil, cover tightly, and steam at a gentle simmer (med-low heat) for 55-60 minutes. You may need to check the water level halfway through. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
To serve. Open the corn husks and top with fresh tomato salsa, a dollop of sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and hot sauce.
Notes
Store: Cooked tamales can be refrigerated up to 4 days in an airtight container, or wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Tamales can be reheated in their cornhusks in the microwave (wrap in a damp towel) or steamed in a pot with a cup of water and a steamer basket (15-20 minutes) or steamed in the instant pot using the basket, 1 cup of water, and the steam function (10-15 minutes). You can also unwrap tamales and pan-fry them for a little crispy texture. Thaw frozen tamales before reheating.
Filling variations: Add some black beans (I prefer to serve them over warm black beans), refried beans and cheese or try this butternut filling version.
Instant Pot Instructions: Place the steamer basket in the bottom of the Instant Pot and fill with water to the bottom of the basket. Place the tamales upright over the steamer basket, open side up. Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes, let them rest 15-20 minutes, before unwrapping, so they firm up.
In India, we use banana leaf, with rice flour dough, stuffed with coconut jaggery, with jackfruit and steamed, it is served with the banana leaf. It is famous in the southern state of Kerala.
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