morsels45

morsels45 said

Tamales

Steamed in their own leaves, unwrapped at the table.

Tamales
Photo: Georgina Meneses, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. A photo of the dish, not of these exact recipes.

That was somebody else’s answer. Yours takes about twenty seconds: a handful of either-ors, then one dish.

Play morsels45How it works

Free, no sign-up, and an answer in about twenty seconds.

How to make tamales

2 genuinely different takes — a classic, and a faster or lighter route. The same ones the app hands you once you have decided.

Steamed in their leaves

180 minutes · serves 12 · Hard

What you need

  • 500g masa harina
  • 300g lard or shortening
  • 700ml warm stock
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 30 corn husks, soaked
  • 600g pork shoulder, cooked and shredded
  • 300ml red chilli sauce

What you do

  1. 1Soak the husks in hot water an hour until pliable.
  2. 2Beat the lard alone for 5 minutes until it is white and fluffy — a stand mixer helps. Aerating the fat is what makes a light tamale rather than a brick.
  3. 3Add the masa, baking powder and salt, then the warm stock gradually, beating, until a teaspoon of the dough floats in a glass of water. That float test is the only reliable test.
  4. 4Spread masa on the smooth side of a husk, leaving a border. Filling down the middle, fold the sides over, fold the bottom up.
  5. 5Stand them upright in a steamer, open end up, and steam 90 minutes. They are done when the husk peels away cleanly.

A small batch

120 minutes · serves 6 · Medium

What you need

  • 250g masa harina
  • 150g lard
  • 350ml stock
  • Husks
  • 300g shredded chicken
  • Green salsa

What you do

  1. 1Beat the fat, add masa and stock, float test.
  2. 2Fill and fold a dozen husks.
  3. 3Steam 75 minutes.