Making tamales is a traditional process that often involves several steps and can vary depending on regional and family recipes. Here’s a basic recipe for making tamales, inspired by traditional methods that might be similar to your grandmother’s:
Ingredients
For the Masa (dough):
- 4 cups masa harina (corn flour)
- 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (warm)
- 1 cup lard or vegetable shortening
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
For the Filling:
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, pork, or beef
- 2 cups red or green chili sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (optional)
For Assembling:
- 20-30 dried corn husks (soaked in warm water for at least 30 minutes)
Instructions
Preparing the Filling:
- Cook the Meat: If your meat isn’t already cooked, you can boil or slow-cook it until tender, then shred it.
- Combine with Sauce: Mix the shredded meat with the chili sauce in a bowl. If you’re using cheese, you can mix it in at this stage.
Preparing the Masa:
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the masa harina, baking powder, and salt.
- Add Broth: Slowly add the warm broth to the masa mixture, stirring to combine until it forms a dough.
- Beat Lard/Shortening: In a separate bowl, beat the lard or shortening until it’s fluffy.
- Combine: Gradually add the masa mixture to the lard or shortening, beating until the dough is light and airy. The dough should be spreadable and slightly sticky.
Assembling the Tamales:
- Prepare Corn Husks: Drain the soaked corn husks and pat them dry.
- Spread Masa: Lay a corn husk flat, and spread a thin layer of masa dough in the center, leaving about 1 inch from the edges.
- Add Filling: Place a spoonful of the meat filling in the center of the masa.
- Fold: Fold the sides of the corn husk in towards the center, then fold the bottom up to seal. If the husk is large, you might fold the top down as well, or tear off excess.
Steaming the Tamales:
- Prepare Steamer: Fill the bottom of a large pot with water and insert a steamer basket. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the tamales.
- Steam Tamales: Stand the tamales upright in the steamer, open side up. Cover with a damp cloth and the pot lid.
- Cook: Steam for about 1 to 1.5 hours, adding more water as needed. The tamales are done when the masa pulls away from the husk easily.
Serving
Serve the tamales with extra chili sauce, salsa, or sour cream. Enjoy!
Feel free to adapt the recipe with any variations that your grandmother might have used!
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