Tamal Making
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Cookbook: |
 TamalesHere are
120 traditional and innovative tamales by America's top three Southwestern chefs. 75 color
photos.
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Tamales can be an intimidating food for the beginning Mexican chef. They
are time consuming and difficult to taste test and alter half way through. The good
news is that there are so many variations, it's really hard to
go wrong with tamales.
Here's a step by step RecipeGal through making tamales from scratch. The recipes are
on separate pages--they tend to be the easy part the first time most people make tamales.
- Prepare Corn Husks--Choose largest corn husks available and soak
- Decide whether you will make your own masa or buy it prepared.
- You can use a spoon to spread the masa, shortcut with a tortilla press or use a
tamale spreader made specifically for this purpose (win one
here).
- Follow Masa Spreader instructions, or
use a spatula to evenly spread masa over corn husk. Stop spreading about 1/4 inch
away from the side edges and 1/2 inch away from top and bottom edges. Spread thick or thin
according to taste and recipe. Masa will expand.
- Spoon approximately two teaspoons of filling in a
line through middle of masa.
- Fold over one side of corn husk allowing masa to drop off to cover filling. Place
the husk (now with no masa attach flat again.
- Fold over opposite side overlapping the masa attached to this side with the masa just
dropped.
- Fold free side of husk over top.
- Fold in both top and bottom ends of husk.
- Place gently in steamer with folds down.
- Steam 1 1/2 hours for most recipes--you will need to add water at least once to your
steamer. Of course, you will need to test for doneness!
- Serve wrapped in corn husks and enjoy!
Tamales are best fresh with a
large group--but they can be frozen and served after reheating in a steamer.
Too much work? Buy your tamales online premade!
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