The card for Mexico mysteriously fell out of the mason jar...just in time for the tamale holiday season.
I love tamales. They're a perfect "humm humm" food (I think that expression only exists in my household but anyway, basically it means comfort food--though not a fast-food-type junk food).
Pork Tamales:
1 lb shredded pork
5 dried red chilies
8 oz tomato sauce
3 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp cumin
1 garlic clove (minced)
2 cups masa harina (I used Maseca)
2/3 to 1 cup vegetable oil
corn husks (soaked for at least 2 hours in water)
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place chilies on a baking sheet and roast them for 3-5 minutes. After they're roasted put them in a sauce pan with enough water to just cover them and let them soak for 20 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, 1 tbsp cumin, garlic and 1 cup of chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Blend the entire sauce mixture for 20 seconds. Put the pork in a sauce pan. Pour the entire chili mixture through a strainer over the pork. Bring the pork to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Mix together the masa harina, 2 cups of stock, 1 tbsp cumin, and oil. The mixture should resemble a spongy dough. If it isn't wet enough add more oil.
Spread some dough on a husk so that it nearly covers it completely and is 1/4 inch thick. Put 1-2 tbsp of the meat mixture in the center of the dough. Roll the husk together so one end is folded and the other is open. Repeat.
Steam all the tamales together for approximately 1 hr 45 minutes. (You can start checking them after 1 hr 15 minutes-when the tamale stays together they're ready).
Rating: 9 out of 10
The above recipe will only make 10-12 tamales which is a much less formidable task than the 3-4 dozen that most recipes produce.
I love tamales. They're a perfect "humm humm" food (I think that expression only exists in my household but anyway, basically it means comfort food--though not a fast-food-type junk food).Pork Tamales:
1 lb shredded pork
5 dried red chilies
8 oz tomato sauce
3 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp cumin
1 garlic clove (minced)
2 cups masa harina (I used Maseca)
2/3 to 1 cup vegetable oil
corn husks (soaked for at least 2 hours in water)
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place chilies on a baking sheet and roast them for 3-5 minutes. After they're roasted put them in a sauce pan with enough water to just cover them and let them soak for 20 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, 1 tbsp cumin, garlic and 1 cup of chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Blend the entire sauce mixture for 20 seconds. Put the pork in a sauce pan. Pour the entire chili mixture through a strainer over the pork. Bring the pork to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Mix together the masa harina, 2 cups of stock, 1 tbsp cumin, and oil. The mixture should resemble a spongy dough. If it isn't wet enough add more oil.
Spread some dough on a husk so that it nearly covers it completely and is 1/4 inch thick. Put 1-2 tbsp of the meat mixture in the center of the dough. Roll the husk together so one end is folded and the other is open. Repeat.
Steam all the tamales together for approximately 1 hr 45 minutes. (You can start checking them after 1 hr 15 minutes-when the tamale stays together they're ready).
Rating: 9 out of 10
The above recipe will only make 10-12 tamales which is a much less formidable task than the 3-4 dozen that most recipes produce.
Comments