Hello, foodies! I promised to break intriguing news with my readers in my last blog. Since then, readers have expressed excitement, and I have received innumerable comments, guessing the news. However, readers, your guesses were incorrect. Okay, fine! You do not have to wait much for my exciting news. So, here is the news: I have finally made a PERFECT tamale FROM SCRATCH. I have tried making a perfect tamale for a long. However, the results never came as I expected, bringing despair. However, I was determined to make a good tamale, and this time, the result overjoyed me. Customize the dish according to ingredients of your choice, like beef, chicken, pork, etc, and relish its taste.
What Are Tamales?
Before sharing the recipe with you, it is worthwhile for you to know making homemade tamales is time-consuming. It took me three hours to make tamales. However, the time and hard work you give to this dish is rewarding, and the taste is exceptional. If you prefer making it less time-consuming, you may skip a few processes, like making homemade sauce. You can use store-bought sauce. However, I prefer recreating my favourite dishes from scratch. Therefore, I made homemade sauce. Believe me! It tasted way better than the packaged sauce.
Kneading a perfect masa dough is crucial for making tamales, and I aced it – a soft and super-light base. The best part of this recipe is the zero use of shortening or lard. I am a fitness freak who avoids dishes using shortening or lard. Therefore, tamales are my go-to comfort meal. And yes, I am naming this week tamale week – Why? I made a bulk of diet-friendly tamales, which I have preserved in my refrigerator in a storage container, and I love tamales so much that I will consume them regularly. So, thankfully, I do not need to cook this week. I know! You also want to store it. Check the notes below to learn the tamale storage guide.
Go! Gather masa and corn husks, prepare your preferred filling, and get started. And yes, if you find it tiresome or time-consuming, call your tamale partner and work and learn together. And yes, let me know about your experience while making tamale.
Note: Tamale is an English word which refers to tamal in Spanish.
What are the Ingredients Used in Making Tamales?
Provided below is a list of ingredients required to make the tastiest tamales:
Dough ingredients
- ¾ cup Avocado oil or corn oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 6 cups stocks- Beef, chicken, or vegetable
- 6 cups masa harina
- 1 packet of dried corn husks
- Fillings (3-4 cups)
Non-vegetarian options:
• Beef
• Chicken
• Pork
Vegetarian options:
• Sauteed veggies
• Roasted veggies
• Refried beans
Cheese
1 cup sauce
Any of these will do :
• Enchilada sauce
• Green salsa (salsa verde)
• Mole
• Red sauce
I added homemade sauce to it. However, if you prefer, you may use store-bought sauce. If you want a homemade sauce recipe, comment! I will share its recipe in the next blog.
Toppings
Choose any of these lip-smacking combos:
- Avocado
- Chopped cilantro
- Cotija cheese or sour cream
- Salsa (Green, pico de gallo, or red)
Assembling Tamales
- In a large pot, warm water and add corn husks. Cover the lid and cook it for half an hour or till the husks soften.
- Use a stand mixer to knead an airy, fluffy and super-light masa dough. This is the best way to knead a super-light dough effortlessly. Though less fruitful, you may use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer. However, I will never recommend kneading the dough manually. NEVER! Alongside being challenging, it may not yield you the best results. Cover this dough with a damp towel and refrigerate it.
- In the meantime, prepare fillings and sauce.
- You are now a step away from having the most lip-smacking tamales. Place your ingredients aside and:
- Place the corn husks on a chopping board.
- Use your fingers or a spoon to spread around ¼ cup husks to the masa. It should be enough to fill the stuffing. Also, keep some water and dip your fingers in it to prevent masa from sticking.
- Add a little filling to the masa. Do not overstuff the masa.
- Fold the masa in two halves and gently press it with your fingers to seal it properly.
- Repeat this till the husk obtains a cylindrical pattern.
- Fold the top of the tamale, leaving the bottom side unsealed.
- Seal both ends of the tamale with thin strips of dried corn husks
- Steam it in an instant pot or a stockpot. Place water on the bottom of the instant pot or a stockpot, followed by a steamer above it. Fill the steamer with the tamales. Cover and cook for up to half an hour till the tamales soften. Cook till the masa separates from the husks.
Warm tamale tastes the best when served with:
- Aguas Frescas or Margaritas
- Drunken Beans
- Guacamole
- Mexican Caesar Salad
Storage Guide
Keep the tamales in an airtight container or a storage container in the fridge. They remain fresh for up to five days. If you want to store them for a longer, say three months, store them in ziplock bags or wrap them in plastic bags. Wrapping them in a plastic bag or placing them in a ziplock bag keeps them fresh for a long.
