Mexican Tamales

En español

20 to 22 tamales

INGREDIENTS       

Dough:

• 1 pound masa mix for tamales (masa flour)
• ½ pound margarine
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 cups chicken broth or water  
  

Sauce:

• 4 roma tomatoes, skinless and seedless, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• ¼ Spanish onion, diced
• Salt to taste

Filling:

• Fresh queso blanco (white cheese)
• Epazote leaves
• Thin strips of jalapeño or other pepper
• ½ pound cooked shredded chicken
• ½ pound cooked shredded pork
• 22 tamale leaves, soaked overnight and then drained

 
PREPARATION

1. Whip margarine until creamy. Add the masa flour, baking powder, salt and chicken broth or water.

2. Mix the masa dough by hand or with an electric mixer until spongy. Let it rest while you prepare the sauce.

3. Blend in a blender tomatoes, garlic, onion and salt to make sauce. Add some of the sauce to the masa dough.

4. Spread 2 tablespoons of masa dough on each tamale leaf. Place the jalapeno pepper strips on the masa.

5. Place the chicken and pork, as you wish, over the masa dough. Roll the tamale leaves, and fold the ends to keep the tamale closed.

6. Place assembled tamales in a tamale steamer pan with water at the bottom, and cook for 45–60 minutes at medium-high heat. Tamales are ready when they detach easily from the leaves.

7. Serve tamales with the remaining sauce.