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Definitions & Recipes
tamale
tamale [tuh-MAH-lee] From the Nahuatl word (tamalii ), the tamale is a popular Mexican dish that consists of various fillings (such as finely chopped meat and vegetables) coated with a MASA dough and wrapped in a softened CORN HUSK. This package is then tied and steamed until the dough is cooked through. The corn husk is peeled back before the tamale is eaten. Although savory tamales are the most popular in the United States, many cooks in Mexico also serve sweet tamales, usually filled with fruit.
from THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst, Barron's Educational Services, Inc.
Copyright 1997 CondeNet
TAMALE, ta-mal'e, a Mexican dish consisting of highly spiced minced meat and other ingredients inside a layer of cornmeal dough that is, in turn wrapped in corn husks. It is then either baked or steamed in a kettle. The exact origin of tamales is not known, but they were eaten by the Aztecs long before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores.
Betty Wason - Author of "The Art of Spanish Cooking"
Pork Tamales With Red Chili
1 (7-ounce) bag of corn husks
1 recipe masa (tamale dough)
1 recipe (2 cups) red chili, at room temperature
1 recipe cooked pork butt
For each batch of tamales, use a 7-ounce bag of corn husks. Cover the husks with boiling water, weigh them down (a heavy pie plate works well) and let soak for one hour.
When corn husks are softened, lightly dry them and lay them on counter top, flattened with curling-up edges facing upward.
Spread a scant 1/4 cup of the masa batter onto the husk in a 4-inch square, leaving at least a 1-1/2-inch border on the pointy end of the husk, a 3/4-inch border along the other sides. Spoon a good 2 tablespoons of the filling down the center of the batter.
Pick up the 2 long sides of the husk and bring them together (this will cause the batter to roll around the filling, enclosing it). Roll the flaps of the husk in the same direction around the tamale. (If husk is so small that the tamale doesn't seem very well wrapped, roll it in another husk.) Fold up the empty, pointy end in a 1/2-inch section to close off the bottom. Secure it by loosely tying a strip of husk (torn from some of the extra husks) around the tamale and fold flap.
To steam: To make a steamer, place a metal rack (such as a cooling rack) in the bottom of a large stockpot or canner. Water level should be below the rack. Lay extra corn husks over rack. Stand the tamales on the folded edge in the steamer (the open edge with be facing upward).
First fill the bottom of the steamer, then start stacking tamales on top of one another. Place any extra husks on top of tamales, cover with pot lid and steam for 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Replenish boiling water if necessary during steaming, time. The tamales are done when the husk peels away easily from the filling. Yields 45-50 tamales.
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