Tamales

I love tamales. While they can be labor intensive, they keep well, so enlist some friends and make a day of assembling some. The recipe below used one pound of fresh masa. I usually make much larger batches (5 lbs), so I suggest making more and scaling the recipe accordingly.

Cooked tamales keep in the fridge for several days and much longer in the freezer. They can be reheated in the steamer or they can be heated in a dry cast iron pan. Heat them over medium high heat until the husk is slightly blackened.

This time I made them with a green chile and cheese (this also was a perfect opportunity to try out the Daiya pepper jack flavor) filling, but the sky is the limit as far as fillings.  Black bean, mushroom, seitan mole, or your favorite veggie meat are all great options.

A note on masa: Always use fresh masa if you possibly can. If there is any Mexican population where you live, you should be able to find some at a latin market. Avoid using dry masa harina if possible. It will make a world of difference. Alton Brown has a recipe for making it from scratch here.

Tamales

Dried corn husks

1 lb fresh masa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
Salt to taste (about 1 tsp, depending on the broth)
2/3 cup cool vegetable, mushroom, or other vegetarian broth

Filling

2-3 large, mild, green chiles (such as poblano), roasted, seeded and skinned, and diced. You can use canned as well.
1 package Daiya pepperjack

Place your corn husks in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Weight with a plate or pot lid and set aside while you prepare your dough.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine shortening and baking powder and beat until light and well combined. Add half the masa and mix to combine. Alternate adding the remaining masa and broth until you have a well mixed, light dough. Season with salt to taste and mix well to combine (remember this is all gluten free, so don’t worry about over mixing).

Drain the corn husks (they should be soft and pliable). Lay a corn husk in front of you and spread a few tablespoon of dough across the middle of the husk. The amount will depend on the size of the corn husks. Place a small amount of filling chiles and cheese in the center. The husk should be able to wrap around the dough and overlap. Tie the ends with strips of husk.

Steam the tamales for 45 min – an hour. The filling should be mostly set when they are done (it will completely set as it cools).