Tamales Recipe
(Made with Olive Oil as Lard alternative)
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ Cups of Corn Masa-Harina
- ½ Tsp. Baking Powder
- 1 Tsp. Salt
- ¾ Cups Olive Oil
- 1 ¾ Cup of Warm Chicken Broth, extra as needed for texture
- 2 Cups of Picadillo (or filling of your choice)
- 16 Large Corn Husks, plus more for steaming pot
Instructions:
- In a large pot, place the cornhusks and cover with hot water to soften. Leave for at least 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients and stir in the olive oil. Add the warm chicken broth and mix with a spatula until you form the dough into a creamy texture, similar to soft ice cream. If it doesn’t appear creamy, add a little more broth, a table spoon at a time.
- Spread about 3 Tbsp. of the dough on a softened corn husk using a spoon or spatula. Top with 2 Tbsp. of the filling. Fold one left side of the husk to the center and then the right to the center. Finally, fold the end toward the center. Repeat until all husks are filled and folded.
- Get your steamer ready by adding a couple of hot cups of water and line the steamer rack with corn husks. If you don’t have a steamer, place loose pieces of aluminum foil at the bottom of the pot to function as a steamer rack.
- Place the tamales standing up, cover with the rest of the corn husk, a clean dish towel and the pot lid.
- Cook for 60-75 minutes over medium heat. While cooking, add more hot water if needed. Tamales are done when corn husk can be easily removed from the dough. The tamales will firm up after cooked.
