From mexicanplease.com
Easy Tamales Recipe
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1.5 cups masa harina
- 1 cup stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 6 tablespoons lard
- 3 tablespoons butter
For assembly and cooking
- 20 dried corn husks
- 2 cups bean dip
- 1 cup cheese
Steps
- Start by adding the 20 corn husks to a large bowl and soaking them in the hottest tap water you have got. You can use a bowl or plate to keep them submerged if they float to the surface.
- To make the dough, add 1 ½ cups masa harina to a mixing bowl along with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Combine well and then add 1 cup of stock, roughly combining into a shaggy dough.
- Add 6 tablespoons of lard and 3 tablespoons of butter to a mixing bowl and let it come to room temperature. Use a hand mixer on medium-high to whip the fat to a lighter consistency, approximately 2 minutes.
2 min
- Add half of the 1 ½ cups masa dough to the fat and combine using the hand mixer on medium speed. Add the other half and combine into a cohesive dough. Along the way you might need to add additional 1 cup stock to get it to combine. I usually end up using my hands to give it a final mix.
- Drain the 20 corn husks and pat dry a few of them. We will use the husks that are widest and intact.
- Spread 2-3 tablespoons of masa dough on the lower left portion of the husk's wide side. Using your hands is the easiest way to get a thin, even layer of dough on the 20 corn husk. You could also use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread the dough.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of filling to each tamale. Use 2 cups bean dip and 1 cup cheese for this batch.
- Fold the tamale onto itself and seal the edges so that you have a cocoon of tamale dough surrounding the filling. Roll the remaining husk around the tamale and fold the bottom portion of the husk upwards.
- Place a vegetable steamer inside a large pot and fill the pot with enough water to barely reach the level of the steamer. Use approximately 1 inch of water.
- Bring the water to a boil and then lower heat to medium. My stove setting for this batch was between medium and medium-high.
- Stand the tamales up vertically in the steamer, with the open side up and the folded side facing the side of the pot, this will keep them closed as they steam. Cover the tamales with the remaining 20 corn husks to prevent water from dripping into the open ends. Steam for 60-75 minutes. Keep an eye on the pot to ensure that there is always water to steam; if it runs low you can add more. When the husk pulls away readily from the tamale then they are done. Ideally the tamale has a light, moist consistency.
60-75 min
- Serve immediately with your choice of salsa and sides.