Basic Tamales Recipe
Ingredients
| Masa Dough | ||
| Tomatillo Salsa or Red Chile Puree | ||
| Corn husks package | 1 , dried | |
| Carnitas Shredded Chicken or Shredded Beef Filling | ||
Directions
Prepare Masa Dough; set aside.
Prepare Tomatillo Salsa; cover and refrigerate.
Sort through dried corn husks, discarding silk and other extraneous material.
In a large roasting pan, cover husks with warm water and let stand until pliable (at least 20 minutes) or until next day.
Drain and pat dry when ready to use.
Prepare Carnitas.
For each tamale, select a wide, pliable husk.
Lay flat, with tip pointing away from you.
Evenly spread 2 tablespoons of the masa down center of husk, forming a rectangle that's flush with one side of husk, an inch from opposite side, an inch from bottom, and 3 inches from tip.
If husk is not wide enough, use some of the masa to paste another husk onto back of first.
Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons of the filling in center of masa.
To enclose filling, fold husk so masa edges meet, wrapping plain part of husk around outside of tamale.
Fold bottom end of husk over body of tamale; then fold in tip.
Place, seam side down, on a tray; cover with damp paper towels until all are prepared.
To steam, place a rack in a 12- to 14-quart pan and pour in boiling water to a depth of an inch.
Stack tamales in steamer, arranging loosely so steam can circulate.
Bring to a boil; cover and adjust heat to keep water at a steady boil.
Continue to cook, adding boiling water to maintain water level, until masa is firm and does not stick to husk; open one from center of pan to test (about 1 hour).
Prepare Tomatillo Salsa; cover and refrigerate.
Sort through dried corn husks, discarding silk and other extraneous material.
In a large roasting pan, cover husks with warm water and let stand until pliable (at least 20 minutes) or until next day.
Drain and pat dry when ready to use.
Prepare Carnitas.
For each tamale, select a wide, pliable husk.
Lay flat, with tip pointing away from you.
Evenly spread 2 tablespoons of the masa down center of husk, forming a rectangle that's flush with one side of husk, an inch from opposite side, an inch from bottom, and 3 inches from tip.
If husk is not wide enough, use some of the masa to paste another husk onto back of first.
Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons of the filling in center of masa.
To enclose filling, fold husk so masa edges meet, wrapping plain part of husk around outside of tamale.
Fold bottom end of husk over body of tamale; then fold in tip.
Place, seam side down, on a tray; cover with damp paper towels until all are prepared.
To steam, place a rack in a 12- to 14-quart pan and pour in boiling water to a depth of an inch.
Stack tamales in steamer, arranging loosely so steam can circulate.
Bring to a boil; cover and adjust heat to keep water at a steady boil.
Continue to cook, adding boiling water to maintain water level, until masa is firm and does not stick to husk; open one from center of pan to test (about 1 hour).
Chef
