Tamales
You will seldom hear someone mention homemade tamales without saying in the same breath, "they're so much work!" Unfortunately, it's true. These steamed "dumplings" of rich, spicy filling wrapped in corn dough inside a corn husk take lots of time and tender loving care to make from scratch. But you know what? Once you've tried them, you realize all the hard work is worth it!
What Makes a Tamale
Basically a tamale is made up of three parts: the wrapper, the dough and the filling. It's most common to wrap tamales in dried corn husks which have been soaked in water to make them pliable. Occasionally, people will use fresh corn husks or, in some regions, even banana leaves to wrap their tamales.
Traditional tamale dough is a simple mixture of masa harina, lard and salt. If you're cooking for a vegetarian crowd or lard simply makes you squeamish, you can substitute an equal amount of vegetable shortening in your recipe, although the dough will not have the same fullness of flavor. You should also note that lard, in the small amount used, is better to your health than the shortening as it has NO trans fats!
To ensure light and fluffy dough, whip the lard and salt with electric beaters for a few minutes before adding the masa harina. Once you add the masa harina, continue to whip, adding water or meat broth until the mixture is the consistency of soft cookie dough. Test the dough by dropping a small ball of it into a glass of water. If the dough sinks, it needs more liquid whipped into it; if it floats, it's ready!
Finally, there is the tamale filling. In this arena, almost anything goes. The most well-known tamale recipes have a filling of braised pork or beef in a complex sauce of spices and dried and fresh chiles. However, it's not uncommon to see tamales stuffed with chicken, roasted vegetables, cheese, beans, seafood, AND sweet ones filled with fruit and nuts. Use your imagination and your spice rack to create a filling that will gratify your wildest tamale fantasies. While you're going to all the trouble of making tamales, why not whip up two or three kinds of filling at once for a real tamale extravaganza?!
Assembling the tamales
Once all of these items are ready, each tamale is assembled into a luscious little package. First, spread a corn husk with an even layer of fluffy, sticky masa dough, arrange a stripe of long-simmered, lovingly spiced shredded meat (or whatever your filling is) down the middle, and then carefully roll up the husk so that the masa completely surrounds the filling and the parcel stays intact. Tamales are then carefully piled into a steamer, and now all you have to do is wait anxiously for them to finally be ready. Once you take a bite of a tamale fresh out of the steamer and savor its fluffy corn exterior and succulent, rich filling, you'll understand why people still go to all the trouble.
Making tamales IS an all-day affair, in my family as in many other Mexican families. This is the reason why tamales are reserved for very special occasions, such as Christmas and Easter, and sometimes even birthdays. Tamale-making itself can turn into a party: I remember many times my mom and aunts clustered in the kitchen, shredding meat, spreading masa onto corn husks, us helping fill and roll the tamales, and talking and laughing in general. When you get the urge to try your hand at a batch of tamales, roll up your sleeves, call up a few of your favorite people, and get ready for a fiesta!
