← Nouns Cooking · Mexican

Ingredients

• 24 dried corn husks, plus extra for the steamer
• 4 Poblano chillies
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 corn cob, kernels cut off (optional)
• 250 g Oaxaca cheese (or low-moisture mozzarella), cut into 18 sticks
• 150 g vegetable shortening or solid coconut oil, softened
• 400 g masa harina (for tamales if you can find it)
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 500 ml warm vegetable stock, plus extra if needed

Method

1. Soak the corn husks in a big bowl of hot water for 30 min, weighed down with a plate, until soft and pliable.
2. Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a hot grill for 8–10 min, turning, until blackened all over. Seal them in a covered bowl for 10 min, then rub off the skins, remove the seeds and cut into strips (rajas).
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 min, until soft. Add the rajas and corn and cook for 3 min more. Season with salt and leave to cool.
4. Beat the shortening with an electric mixer for 2 min, until white and fluffy. Mix the masa harina, baking powder and salt, then beat it in a little at a time, alternating with the warm stock. Keep beating for 5 min, until light and as soft as thick hummus; a pea-sized blob should float in a glass of water.
5. Pat a husk dry and spread about 3 tbsp of masa over the wide half of the smooth side, leaving a border. Lay a few rajas and a stick of cheese down the middle, fold the sides over to enclose, then fold the pointed end up. Repeat.
6. Stand the tamales upright, open end up, in a steamer basket over simmering water. Cover with spare husks and a tight lid and steam over medium heat for about 1 hour, topping up with boiling water as needed.
7. Test one: the masa should pull cleanly away from the husk. If it sticks, steam for 15 min more. Rest for 10 min before unwrapping and serving with salsa verde.

Tips

• Tamales freeze beautifully in their husks; steam from frozen for about 30 minutes.
• Check that your stock is gluten-free if you’re cooking for coeliacs.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

¡Hola! Jalapeño Pati Jinich BBC Good Food