Category Archives: recipes
Tamales de Elote + Tamales Fritos
Tamales de elote (corn tamales) are often eaten for breakfast, (or any time really), in El Salvador, as well as in other countries in Central America. They are especially good if you re-heat them the next day by frying them, (which turns them into “tamales fritos” or fried tamales.)
Here is the recipe I use, adapted from the one found at Whats4Eats.com. If you want it completely authentic – (i.e. you want to use lard and fresh corn) – go check out their recipe. My recipe is easier and can be made year round because it uses canned corn – but I changed a few other things as well, and they’re delicious like this.
TAMALES DE ELOTE
Makes 1 dozen
What you need:
Corn husks (for wrapping) – 12
Butter, unsalted, softened – 1/2 cup
Baking powder – 2 teaspoons
Masa harina (MASECA) – 2 cups
Salt – 1 and 1/2 teaspoons
Whole milk or cream – 1 cup (warm)
Corn (whole kernel, sweet, no salt added) – 1 and 3/4 cups (drained) = about one 15.25 oz. can
Sugar – 3 tablespoons
Directions:
1. Put corn husks in a large bowl of warm water to soak.
2. Put butter, baking powder, corn and sugar in a blender or food processor and mix until combined. (Add a couple tablespoons of milk if blender blades won’t turn. This can be any kind of milk, including skim.)
3. In a large bowl, mix together (with your hands), the masa harina (MASECA), salt and warm milk. Knead until completely combined.
4. Mix the masa little by little into the blender mixture, using the blender to combine it. If the mixture is now too thick for your blender to handle, mix all into a bowl by hand. Squeeze the mixture through your hands until completely combined.
5. Drain the corn husks and shake dry, (it’s fine if they’re still moist.) You will either need to work fast so the husks don’t dry out again, or you can leave them in water and shake dry one-by-one as you use them.
6. Lay out a husk and add about 1/4 cup dough to the center. Fold in each side to cover the dough. Then fold up the bottom of the husk. Finally fold down the pointed part of the husk and insert it into the bottom. Repeat with the rest of the dough. (I go the extra step of wrapping my tamales in aluminum foil to prevent them from opening, which is easier than tying with string, which some people do.)
7. Steam the tamales in a steamer pot for 30-45 minutes. (If you don’t have a steamer pot, you can places balls of foil on the bottom of the pot and then put a metal pie plate on top of the foil. Make sure water doesn’t come above the plate. Over low heat, stack tamales on top of the plate and cover the pot. You may need to add water halfway through the cooking time if your pot cooks dry.)
8. Remove tamales and let cool. Serve warm, or refrigerate. To re-heat, unwrap tamal from corn husk and place on a comal or in a frying pan with a little oil. Cook on both sides until browned – now you have a tamal frito!
Paletas de Horchata (Salvadoreña!)
[Scroll down for English translation.]
Parece que todo el mundo está hablando de las paletas!
El año pasado, SpanglishBaby.com compartió una receta para hacer paletas de Arroz con Leche, (y se me entojó cuándo mencionaron las paletas de sabor a pistachio!) … Este semana TikiTikiBlog.com compartió unas recetas para hacer paletas de sabores Mango y Piña-Chili.
Hecho Al Azar de EatMexico.com: “Una vieja leyenda mexicana dice que los emperadores Aztecas tuvieron sirvientes que trajeron hielo del volcán Popocatépetl, fuera de la Ciudad de Mexico. Los emperadores comieron el hielo mezclado con frutas. Esto sueno exotico pero no esta apoyado por fuentes históricas escritas.”
Bueno, por suerte, recientemente compré moldes de paletitas bien cute, entonces estoy lista por tratar de hacer las paletas por primera vez. (Los moldes costaron menos de $2 en Wally World, y probablemente puedes conseguirlos también aun más baratos en una tienda “dollar”.)
El unico problema es, cuál tipo de paleta hago primero? … Como dijé, quiero probar mucho una paleta de pistachio, pero olvidé comprar pistachios, y también, siento que es demasiado ambisioso por mi primera vez. Busqué recetas en la internet para tener una idea y encontré sabores bien ricos. Me pusé más confundida y me dio todavia más ganas de comerme una paleta. Un sabor que encontré varias veces era “horchata” – pero me imaginé que estaban hablando de horchata mexicana.
Mira, mi esposo salvadoreño, Carlos, siempre me acusa que amo más las cosas mexicanas que las cosas salvadoreñas. Hoy voy a probarle que está equivocado – por lo menos esta vez. En el caso de horchata – la horchata mexicana no me llama la atención para nada – pero la horchata salvadoreña es posible mi bebida favorita!
¿Cuál es la diferencia? La horchata mexicana es hecha principalmente de arroz. Horchata salvadoreña es hecha de semilla de morro. Los ingredientes en la mayoría de horchatas salvadoreñas es algo así: semilla de morro, arroz, cacao, canela, maní, ajonjolí, vainilla, leche y azúcar.
Me gustaría que hubiera alguna manera de poder compartir el aroma con ustedes. Si hicieran una perfume de horchata salvadoreña, me lo pusiera… y yo me lamiera. En serio.
Entonces, decidí de hacer paletas de horchata salvadoreña. La receta es muy fácil y las paletas salieron bien ricas.
Paletas de Horchata Salvadoreña
Necesitas:
moldes para paletas
leche
mezcla de horchata salvadoreña
Direcciones:
Haz la horchata siguiendo direcciones en la bolsa, (usualmente necesitas 3 cucharadas de horchata por cada taza de leche.) La mayoría de mezclas ya contienen azúcar. Si la quieres más dulce, puedes hechar más azúcar a tu gusto. Use leche descremada porque las hice más saludables. Usando leche descremada resulto en una textura de helados. Si usas leche con grasa, vas a tener una paleta más cremosa.
Pase la horchata por un tamiz. Llena los moldes con la horchata. Pon las en el freezer. Para sacar las paletas del molde, pon las en un recipiente con agua caliente por unos segundos. Disfrutalas!
Para más información y recetas de paletas visita: Mi pagina sobre paletas en Scoop.it
Participaste en Spanish Friday? Deja tu link en comentarios!
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ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
It seems like everyone is talking about paletas lately!
Last year SpanglishBaby.com posted an Arroz con Leche paleta recipe, (and tempted me with the mention of Pistachio paletas!) … This week TikiTikiBlog.com posted a Mango and Pineapple-Chili paleta recipes.
Random Fun Fact from EatMexico.com: “An old Mexican legend says that the Aztec emperors had servants who would bring ice from the Popocatépetl volcano, outside Mexico City. The emperors would eat this ice, mixed with fruits. This sounds exotic but isn’t backed up by written historical sources.”
Well, luckily I recently bought cute little paleta molds so I’m ready to try my hand at paleta-making. (The molds cost less than $2 at Wally World and you might even be able to find them at the dollar store.)
The only problem is, which kind to make first? … Like I said, I really wanted to try pistachio but I had forgotten to buy pistachios and that seemed a little too ambitious for my first try. I researched recipes online to get an idea and kept coming across all the amazing flavors out there and just getting more and more confused and desiring of a paleta. One flavor I came across a few times was “horchata” – but I imagine they’re talking about Mexican horchata.
Now, my Salvadoran husband Carlos always accuses me of loving Mexican things more than Salvadoran things. Today I will prove to you that this isn’t true – at least not all the time. In the case of horchata – Mexican horchata does not tempt me even a little – but Salvadoran horchata is possibly my very favorite drink!
What’s the difference? Mexican horchata is made of mostly rice. Salvadoran horchata is made of Morro Seed. The ingredients in most Salvadoran horchata bags will read something like: Morro Seed, Rice, Cocoa, Cinnamon, Peanuts, Sesame Seed, Vanilla, Milk and Sugar. I wish there was some way to let you smell it. If they made Salvadoran Horchata perfume, I would wear it… and then lick myself. Seriously.
So, I decided to make paletas from Salvadoran horchata. This is really easy and they came out delicious.
Paletas de Horchata Salvadoreña / Salvadoran Horchata-flavored Popsicles
You need:
Popsicle molds
Milk
Horchata Mix
Directions:
Make Horchata following package directions. (Usually 3 spoonfuls to every cup of milk.) Most mixes already contain sugar. If you want yours sweeter, you can add more. I used skim milk to keep the paletas healthier. This yields an icier texture. If you use milk containing fat, it will give you a creamier texture.
Pass the horchata through a sieve. Pour horchata into molds. Freeze until solid. To release pops from the mold, set them in a bowl of warm water for a few seconds. Enjoy!
For more information, articles and recipes about paletas visit: My Paletas Scoop.it page
Did you participate in Spanish Friday? Leave your link in comments!
Patriotism & Hot Dogs
What is more American than hot dogs? – At least that’s what I used to think.
I remember the first time I proudly served Carlos hot dogs. They were perfectly grilled in a nice soft bun. On the table – ketchup, mustard and relish so he could put whichever combination he liked. After we ate I asked him what he thought of our dinner. His response? “They were okay… but I like the hot dogs in El Salvador better.”
Qué qué?! Hot dogs in El Salvador? … When I was actually able to accept that they do indeed eat hot dogs in El Salvador, (and I later found out that there are variations around the world!), I refused to accept that they could be better than AMERICAN hot dogs – because hot dogs are from “AMERICA.” … {Star Spangled Banner plays in the background} … I never knew how patriotic I was until he insulted our hot dogs.
Well, over the years, I’ve come to accept that even though I’ve brainwashed him into liking peanut butter and jelly and other such American delicacies, he will always believe Salvadoran hot dogs are superior to American hot dogs. He still talks about the hot dog vendors in the streets of El Salvador in the same way one would wistfully describe a beloved girlfriend they had left behind.
Sensuntepeque, Cabañas en El Salvador
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I have even tried to accommodate my husband by preparing the hot dogs in a more Salvadoran fashion. Per Carlos’s instructions, this involves:
• Slicing the hot dogs in a spiral
• Making sure the hot dog is cooked well done (either grilled or fried in oil)
• Toasting the bun
• Preparing a cabbage & mustard topping
I don’t know if that is officially a “Salvadoran hot dog” – but that’s how he’s asked me to make them. Here is how I make the cabbage topping.
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Salvadoran Cabbage Topping for Hot Dogs
You need:
1/2 a small cabbage head shredded
yellow mustard
salt and pepper
oil
Method:
Heat a few tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add cabbage – frying while stirring for a minute. Add a few tablespoons of mustard. Continue to cook until cabbage caramelizes a bit, but don’t cook until soggy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on top of hot dogs.
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As for Suegra, she goes one step further – she eats her hot dog inside of a tortilla.
Suegra's hot dog
Charamusca
When I peeked into the ice cream freezer at the Latino Market, I saw amongst the usual popsicles and choco-bananas, something new.
“What’s that in the plastic bag?” I asked Carlos.
“Charamusca,” he said.
At 50 cents each, I decided to bring one home and give it a try. “Charamusca” in Mexico is a twisted caramel candy – but in El Salvador “Charamusca” is what they call a type of frozen treat. They come in various flavors, (the one I bought seemed to be coconut milk), but they’re frozen in plastic baggies.
Carlos showed me how to eat it: You simply bite a corner of the plastic off with your teeth, and then work it out through the hole while sucking on it.
These would be easy to make with kids over the summer: Just pour juice or a homemade fruit smoothie into plastic baggies, tie closed, and freeze. (I recommend eating them outdoors. They get sticky!)
While trying to find out more about “charamuscas”, I stumbled upon this odd music video. Say what you want about Salvadorans, but they know how to have fun.
How to Win a Salvadoreño’s Corazón
So, you’re a gringa (or gringo!) and you’ve fallen in love with a cute Salvadoran. Hey, it happens. But now how do you win his or her corazón? … Two words… “plato típico.”
“Plato típico” [typical dish] can refer to any traditional meal, but this is the “Plato típico” for “desayuno” [breakfast.] A typical breakfast in El Salvador usually consists of thick handmade corn tortillas, huevos picados [scrambled eggs], frijoles molidos [pureed beans], platanos fritos [fried plantains], and crema [sour cream.] … this meal is usually served with coffee.
Here are the recipes you need to make a typical Salvadoran breakfast.
Tortillas
Simply purchase a bag of corn flour for tortillas and follow the directions on the bag. The most commonly used brand is MASECA. Salvadoran tortillas are typically formed in the hand and patted back and forth before being placed on a comal [griddle.] Salvadoran tortillas are usually thicker than store-bought tortillas and are not formed using a tortilla press.
Huevos Picados [Scrambled Eggs]
Beat eggs in a bowl with a little salt. Stirring often, in a pan greased with oil or butter, cook until fluffy. (Some people add chopped tomato and onion.)
Crema [Cream]
If you can’t find Salvadoran crema, any full fat sour cream will do. (We like Daisy brand sour cream.)
Frijoles Molidos [Pureed Beans]
If you can’t find Frijoles Rojos Salvadoreños, [Salvadoran Red Beans] – you can use any small red or black beans. You will have to cook the beans the day before if using dry beans. Cook following standard directions, but add to the water 2 green onions and some garlic for flavor. (Do not add salt until after they’re cooked or they’ll be hard.)
The next day, cook beans with a few spoonfuls of lard, oil or butter. Put into a blender with some of the bean water (reserved from boiling the day before.) Blend until smooth. Heat again, adding salt to taste.
If using canned beans, simply drain, cook with a spoonful of minced garlic, and a few spoonfuls of lard, oil or butter. Put into a blender and blend until smooth. Add a little oil or melted butter if the mixture is too dry and the blender blades won’t move. Add salt to taste.
Platanos Fritos [Fried Plantains]
Choose plantains that are yellow with black markings – this means they’re ripe. You don’t want them to be really black (too ripe/mushy), but you don’t want them plain yellow or green, (they’ll be hard and not sweet enough).
Remove peel with a knife by splitting it open and peeling off. Cut plantain in half width-wise. Cut each half into three pieces. (Alternately, you can cut the entire thing into circles.) Fry in a little oil until browned on each side.
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Arrange on a plate, serve with coffee.
Watch him fall in love.
Duritos & Fútbol
Reading La Cocina de Leslie the other day, I came upon her blog post about Duritos. I knew I had seen something similar at the Latino Market many times before, but I always passed by without really checking them out, assuming it was some sort of healthy spaghetti.
With Leslie’s post in mind, I bought a bag for less than $2 when I went to the Latino Market. I let the kids watch me cook them so they could witness the magic. It’s neat to watch them puff up when they hit the hot oil, (and I never would have guessed you cook them this way. I would have boiled them if I hadn’t been told otherwise!)
When Suegra saw me preparing to cook them, she tried to act like she knew all about them even though in more than a decade she has never mentioned them, eaten them or cooked them in my presence. She gets jealous when I know something she doesn’t when it comes to cooking.
She asked where I heard about them and I replied “una amiga que vive en México.” Suegra sniffed and then claimed that El Salvador has Duritos too and that she used to cook them “all the time” – (even though she hung over my shoulder and couldn’t hide her surprise as they puffed up in the pan.)
I wasn’t in the mood for her games so I told her, “I don’t believe you ever ate them or cooked them.” Then, just to get her goat I added, “I discovered them first.” She sucked in her breath and finally left the kitchen saying, “I suppose you invented pupusas too!”
Anyway, we ate them while watching the opening game for DC United which was just as good as the Duritos. The boys preferred the Duritos plain while Carlos and I experimented with Valentina hot sauce, salt and lime.
(Thanks, Leslie, for a new favorite snack!)
Pupusas!
Want to make Salvadoran pupusas de queso? Andalé pues! Here’s my “how to” video, plus a recipe for curtido (below) to go with them.
Salvadoran Curtido
* 1/2 head of cabbage chopped fine
* 1/2 cup grated carrot
* 2 green onions, minced
* 1/2 onion sliced thin – (Vidalia is best since yellow onions are a bit strong)
* 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
* Salt to taste
* Dried oregano to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat and put the cabbage and carrot into the water. Let sit for 5 minutes and then drain. (A little water remaining is fine.) Add the other ingredients. Adjust apple cider vinegar to your tastes. If you find it too strong, add a little warm water. Best to let the flavors combine for a couple hours at room temperature, but can be served right away. You can be creative with this – try sliced radishes or sliced green peppers in the curtido, too. If you like it spicy try crushed red pepper flakes, jalapeños or other chiles, although these aren’t usually found in traditional curtido.
Curtido is always eaten with pupusas. Most people pour salsa over the curtido.
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Not sure how to eat pupusas? Check out my other “how to” video:
How To Eat A Pupusa (en español)
Marquesote (Salvadoran sweet bread)
This morning I had homemade Marquesote, (Salvadoran sweet bread), for breakfast.
I’ll share my recipe with you but I first I want to tell you why I took the photo of my Marquesote. I was invited to participate in a program by Kellogg’s and non-profit Action For Healthy Kids which helps feed hungry kids across the country. You simply go to ComparteTuDesayuno.com (or the English version, ShareYourBreakfast.com) – and upload a photo or give a description of your breakfast. You can also text a photo of your breakfast with the word “Share” or “FAVOR” to 21534. You can do this each day between now and July 31, 2011 – Each time you do, Kellogg’s will donate the monetary equivalent of a school breakfast to Action for Healthy Kids. Qué chévere, right?
Now, as promised, the recipe so you can have a taste of Marquesote, too.
Marquesote (Salvadoran sweet bread)
Ingredients:
8 eggs
2 cups of cake flour
1 cup of sugar (a little more can be added if you’d like it sweeter.)
2 teaspoons of yeast
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Optional: A few dashes of cinnamon
Directions:
1. Mix together the yeast and cake flour in a medium bowl. (Add the cinnamon if using.)
2. Separate the eggs into two different bowls. (The whites should be in a large mixing bowl. Yolks in a small bowl.)
Tip: To separate the eggs, crack an egg in half and pour the yolk back and forth between the shells over the bowl until all the white has dropped into the bowl below. You will be left with just the yolk after a few passes back and forth. The yolk can then be dropped into a separate bowl.
3. Grease a 9×13 glass or metal pan. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
4. With an electric mixer on high, beat the egg whites until stiff.
Tip: Not sure if the egg whites are stiff yet? Tilt the bowl – if it moves or there is any liquid, you’re not done.
5. Add the sugar little by little while continuing to use the electric mixer.
6. Add the yolks little by little while continuing to use the electric mixer. Repeat with the flour/yeast mixture. Add vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove to cool when golden brown. Serve with milk or coffee.
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Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post.
Paella en Microonda (Microwave Paella)
El viernes pasado, he mencionado que cociné Paella en el microonda – Esta semana, voy a enseñarte cómo hacerla. Algunos van a pensar que es pecado cocinar Paella en el microonda, pero aunque no es aútentica, sale bien rica y no cuesta mucho por hacerla, entonces, ¿porqué no? Es una buena receta para saber en caso que tienes un noche muy ocupada o si no tienes ganas de concinar pero quieres una cena caliente para tu familia.
Last week I mentioned that I cooked Paella in the microwave – This week I’ll show you how to do it. Some will say it’s a sin to cook Paella in the microwave, but even though it isn’t authentic, it tastes good and isn’t difficult to make, so why not? It’s a good recipe to know in case you have a busy night or you don’t feel like cooking but you want a warm dinner for your family.
Primero, compra una caja de Goya Paella. Cada caja cuesta menos de $5. Puedes encontrarlas en el pasillo de “comida étnica” de la mayoría de supermercados. La caja de Goya Paella viene con casi todo lo que necesitas, incluyendo las instrucciones. Las instrucciones para hacerla en el microonda están emprimidas en el paquete de arroz dentro de la caja. En addicion a la caja, vas a necesitar 3 tazas de agua y una cucharada de aceite – nada más!
First buy a box of Goya Paella. Each box costs less than $5. You can find them in the “Ethnic” aisle of most grocery stores. The box of Goya Paella comes with almost everything you need, including the instructions. The instructions to make it in the microwave are printed on the rice packet inside the box. In addition to the box, you’re going to need 3 cups of water and a tablespoon of oil – that’s it!
Las instrucciones en el paquete son en inglés y español, pero sólo tienes que mezclar el contenido del sobre de arroz y el contenido de la lata de mariscos (que vienen en la caja), con 3 tazas de agua y una cucharada de aceite. Recuerda que necesitas usar una cacerola que dice “microwave safe” en la parte de abajo – y también que tenga una tapa.
Después de 5 minutos en alto en el microonda, cocinala por 25 minutos más pero esta vez en “50% power.” Si no sabes cómo cambiar tu microonda a “50% power”, consulta el manual. En mi microonda, sólo tengo que presionar el buton que dice “Power Level” varias veces hasta que la pantalla dice “50.”
The instructions on the packet are in English and Spanish, but you just have to mix the contents of the rice packet and the contents of the can of seafood, (that come in the box), with 3 cups of water and a tablespoon of oil. Remember that you need a dish that says “microwave safe” on the bottom – and also that has a lid.
After 5 minutes on high in the microwave, cook it for 25 minutes more, but this time on 50% power. If you don’t know how to change your microwave to 50% power, check the manual. For my microwave, I just had to push the button that says “Power Level” multiple times until it said “50″ on the screen.
Deja que se enfrie por unos minutos, (la cacerola está bien caliente! Con cuidado!) Pudes servirla sóla, o con pollo, tortillas, y ensalada. A mi me gusta mezclar una salchica cocida y cortada en rodajas en la Paella porque se llena más la familia. Muy fácil, ¿no? ¡Buen provecho!
Let it cool for a few minutes, (the dish will be really hot! Be careful!) You can serve it by itself, or with chicken, tortillas and salad. I like to mix in a sausage, cooked and cut into pieces so that the family feels fuller. Very easy, isn’t it?
Note: In case you’re wondering – Goya did not compensate me nor provide any products.
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Live Blogging: Tamalada
Last night I went out and bought all the things I need to make tamales. Carlos has gone to work, and the niños to school. The house is quiet and empty, unlike a traditional tamalada.
I mentioned in my last post, Galletada, how I don’t have family to make tamales with. Some of you recommended inviting friends, regardless of whether they’re Latina or not. I think that idea is bien chévere. The only problem? My friends are spread across the world.
So, here is what I’m going to do – I’m going to “live blog” my tamal making with you! You’re all invited to my tamalada. Visit throughout the day as I update. Chat with me here in comments, or over on Twitter!
8:20 am – I boiled the chicken last night so it would be ready. I’m going to go shred that first.
9:35 am – The chicken is nicely shredded. Unlike Suegra, I didn’t include bones in my mixture. Chomping into a hueso while trying to eat a tamal, I find very disconcerting.
What do you think of my apron? Do I look like I’m ready to make tamales or sell them at the mercado? ;)
10:36 am – The filling mixture is almost finished. I’m tasting it with Hoja Santa to see if I like it. I heard that Hoja Santa is used for tamales in regions of México and that it gives a distinct flavor. It smells like root beer or licorice. Qué rico! …
While researching the herb, I found out some interesting things. First, the FDA isn’t a fan of Hoja Santa because it was found to be carcinogenic in animals. Carlos thinks I’m loca for trying it just based on that, but cigarettes are carcinogenic to HUMANS and yet the FDA doesn’t have a problem with them, so I put my faith in the Mexican people on this one. They’ve been using this herb since the times of the Mayans and Aztecs, and they have less incidence of cancer than those of us in the U.S.
The story behind its name – Hoja Santa, (Holy Leaf), is that the Virgin Mary used to dry the diapers of baby Jesus on the wide leaves of the Hoja Santa plant. (Providing a place for them to dry, as well as leaving a nice scent.) … Qué cute, right?
Okay – going to upload a video for those who are asking!
12:36 pm – Getting tired and I haven’t even assembled the things! … I finished the filling quite awhile ago, (video below!), and just now I finished making the masa. This is the first year I used manteca (lard) in the masa. The idea gave me the heebie jeebies but I tried tamales last year which I liked, which had algocito that my tamales didn’t have – and I couldn’t put my finger on it. Well, it was manteca, of course. I had Carlos call his co-worker, Armando, last night – to ask what his wife put in her tamales. Te juro, I tasted queso in the masa, but they insist that it’s just manteca.
So, anyway, I made the masa with manteca and the smell made me a little queasy. The masa is resting and so am I for a few minutes, but I really need to get a move on. The day is half over!
Here is the video of me making the filling earlier:
2:26 pm – All the tamales have been made and are on the stove. Very tired and ate so much of the filling que no tengo ganas de comer tamales. Bleh. Ojalá, Carlos and the boys will like them.
I’ve posted my recipe in comments before, but I will post my recipe here according to how I made them this year.
Latina-ish Tamales Recipe
What you need:
Dry corn husks
Aluminum foil
water
MASECA (instant corn masa flour for tortillas)
1 whole chicken – boiled, (remove skin and bones and shred into small pieces)
Chicken broth – (use the broth from the chicken you cooked. Seems to be more flavorful than canned/boxed broth.)
1 can chick peas/garbanzo beans
1 medium onion (minced if you have the patience, otherwise, chopped is okay)
3 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
2 cans of uncut green beans
2 cans of diced potatoes
1 can of chiles in adobo sauce
achiote molido (annatto powder)
achiote entero (whole annatto)
hoja santa
1 cup of lard
1/2 cup cooking oil
cooking oil
salt
1. The filling: In a large pan, heat a few tablespoons of cooking oil. Add 1 tablespoon of achiote entero. Cook briefly until oil turns orange-red. Remove from heat. Remove the achiote with a spoon and discard so that all that is left in the pan is the oil. If you don’t have achiote entero, just heat some regular oil.
2. Put the pan back on the medium heat, saute onion and garlic until tender. Remove from heat. Add the drained cans of potatoes, chick peas and green beans as well as the chicken. Combine. Add salt, adobo sauce from the can of “chiles en adobo”, and hoja santa to taste.
3. For the masa, I used this recipe. Only changes – I added a tablespoon of achiote molido along with the salt to the dry MASECA. Then, after completing the recipe, I added a 1/2 cup of cooking oil.
4. Fill a big bowl with hot water in your sink. Submerge the corn husks in the water to soften.
5. Rip off 40 squares of aluminum foil, (about 1 foot by 1 foot each.) … This will be used to secure the tamales while cooking if you have trouble folding them securely closed. (Some people tie them closed. Look up methods online, but I’m telling you, foil makes it way easier.)
6. If you don’t have a large steamer pot, you will need to loosely crumple foil balls enough to cover the bottom of your largest pot with a tight fitting lid, (or an upside down metal pie plate works.) Once the bottom of the pot is covered in foil balls, fill it with water – BUT the water should not be higher than the foil balls. The foil balls keep the water off the tamales since the tamales are not boiled – they are steamed. If you have a steamer pot and know how to use it, all the better!
7. Now for assembly. Take a corn husk from the water, making sure it isn’t too small or ripped, and shake it dry a bit. Put it on a square of foil. Spread a big spoonful of masa (dough), onto the husk in the middle, spreading it out in a sort of rectangle shape, but don’t go too close to the edges. (There are tamal tutorials online, so look around for them. Video would be the best way to learn this.)
On top of the masa, place a spoonful of the chicken mixture.
Now fold the corn husk closed, (again, hard to explain, so look online for a tutorial if you don’t know how.) … Then I take the extra step of enclosing each one in foil so they don’t open up.
Repeat this until you run out of either corn husks, masa, mixture, or energy — This made about 40 tamales when I ran out of masa, but I had enough filling mixture for at least 2 dozen more.
Stack them all in your steamer pot on medium to low heat with the lid closed. They take between one and two hours to cook. Check once in awhile, (though not too often as you’ll lose your steam), to make sure there’s enough water in there – if not, add a little.
To be sure the tamal is done – best to take one out, unwrap the foil, and let it cool for a little bit to give the masa a chance to become the right texture. Then you can unwrap the corn husk and check to see if the masa is properly cooked, (it shouldn’t be too mushy – it should be firm…difficult to explain exactly. I know you’ve eaten tamales so just judge the doneness based on personal experience of what it should look/feel/taste like when cooked.)
5:46 pm – Tamales were taken out of the pots over an hour ago and have cooled. Carlos loves how they turned out. Now for a nap. Thanks to all of you who chatted with me here in comments and on Twitter! This one is for you…
