Tamales

Name: Tamales
Yield: makes 24 tamales
Ingredients: About 30 dried corn husks; 2 pounds fresh corn masa or 3 1/2 cups masa harina; 2 1/4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160), plus more as needed; 2 cups lard or vegetable shortening, cubed; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 1/2 cups Shredded Pork (page 396), Grilled Chicken in Chipotle Sauce (page 289), Chicken with Mole Sauce (page 300), Chicken in Green Sauce (page 302), or Refried Beans (page 438)

December 14, 2011

Labor intensive, yes, but typically made as a group project and a fun one at that. The tamales in the frozen food aisle may be a quick fix, but they’re barely worth eating. These, on the other hand, are worth the effort. If you are using any of the chicken fillings, shred the chicken finely, then mix with the accompanying sauce. You can buy dried corn husks at any market that carries a range of Latin products; same with masa harina, though finding fresh masa may be a bit more challenging, depending on where you live.

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