koko's corner

The masa is made using corn masa flour, chicken broth, lard, salt and baking powder. 

Start by soaking the cornhusks for about 30 minutes or until soft, in a bowl of warm water. 

Drain, then wrap the husks in a kitchen towel. 

While the cornhusks are soaking, roast or grill the poblano chilis until they are charred, 

then place the chilis in a brown paper bag to cool and loosen the skins. 

When the chilis are cool, peel and seed them, 

and cut into strips. 

Heat the chicken broth in a small saucepan until just simmering. 

In a medium bowl combine the masa, baking powder, salt and set aside. 

In a large bowl, beat the lard with a mixer until light and fluffy. 

Alternately add the masa mixture, 

and the warm broth to the lard. Continue to beat until the dough becomes a creamy paste. 

The closest thing I can compare the consistency to, is play dough. 

For these tamales I used some leftover pork roast. 

I reheated the roast in a medium skillet and added the green chili strips. 

Using one tablespoon of dough, 

pat out the dough out on the wide side of the corn husk. 

 Place your filling down the middle of the dough. 

 Fold the cornhusk over the filling, 

then fold the the narrow end up and under. 

I made and cooked them in batches of 6. 

Since they are so small I improvised a little steamer using cornhusks and a soup bowl. I lined the bottom of a small saucepan with a few cornhusks and added enough water to cover the cornhusks, on top of the cornhusks I placed the soup bowl with the tamales. Check to make sure the water comes no more than half way up the outside of the bowl.  

Cover and steam for 25-30 minutes or until the masa pulls away from the husks easily. 

You will keep a better eye on the water level than I did though. Trust me, it only takes once burning the husks to teach you to keep a better eye on things. 

The pay off, 

beautiful, fluffy, fresh hot tamales, and the best smelling kitchen this side of the Pecos. 

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Cocktail Tamales

appetizers, mexican

18-24  dried cornhusks

3/4 cups chicken broth

1-1/4 cups masa harina

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 cup lard

1 cup cooked pork roast

2  poblano chiles; roasted, seeded, peeled

  cut into strips

In a large deep bowl, soak the cornhusks in hot water about 30 minutes

or until soft.

In the meantime, in a small saucepan heat broth just until simmering.

Remove from heat; set aside. In a medium bowl combine masa harina, salt and

baking powder, set aside. In the bowl of the mixer beat lard on medium to high speed 

until light and fluffy.

Alternately add masa harina mixture and warm broth to lard, continuing to

beat until dough resembles a thick, creamy paste.

Drain cornhusks well and wrap in a kitchen towel. For each tamale, pat about 1 tablespoon 

of the dough into a rectangle with a long side of the rectangle

parallel to a long edge of the husk. Using a kitchen tongs, place the pork and green chili

strips down the center of the dough rectangle. Fold the long edge of the

cornhusk so it slightly overlaps the filling; roll the husk around the

outside of the filled dough rectangle.

Fold the long narrow end up toward the wider end of the husk. Place folded side down and 

repeat with remaining cornhusks, dough and filling.

Arrange tamales in a single layer in a steamer basket. (Do not pack

tightly.) Pour about 1 1/2 inches of water into a stock pot. Add steamer

basket (bottom of basket should be above water level.) bring to boiling.

Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Steam for 45 to 60 minutes or until

tamales easily pull awary from husks and are spongy and cooked through. Add

additional boiling water if necessary during cooking.

Makes 18 to 24 tamales.

Notes:  Adapted from H&G Ultimate Mexican magazine

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And that's that.