← Nouns Cooking · Mexican

Ingredients

• 700 g chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless)
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 tsp Salt
• 250 g Mole paste (jarred, e.g. mole negro or poblano)
• 30 g Mexican chocolate (tablets), chopped
• ½ tsp Cinnamon
• 420 g Masa harina
• 600 ml chicken broth (from cooking the chicken), warm
• 200 g lard, softened
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 12 pieces banana leaf pieces (about 25 × 30 cm), plus extra for the steamer

Method

1. Cover the chicken with water, add the garlic and salt and simmer for 30 min, until cooked through (75°C / 165°F). Shred the meat and keep the broth.
2. In a saucepan, dissolve the mole paste in 250 ml of broth with the chocolate and cinnamon over low heat, stirring, until smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon. Stir in the chicken.
3. Pass the banana leaves briefly over a flame or a hot pan for a few seconds each, until they turn glossy and supple. Wipe them clean.
4. Beat the lard with an electric mixer for 2–3 min, until fluffy. Add the masa harina, baking powder and salt, then beat in the warm broth gradually until you have a soft, spreadable dough. A small ball dropped in cold water should float.
5. Spread about 80 g of masa into a thin 12 cm square in the middle of each leaf. Spoon chicken and mole on one half, fold the masa over to enclose it, then fold the leaf into a flat parcel.
6. Line a steamer with leftover leaves and stack the tamales flat in layers. Steam over simmering water for 1 hour 15 min, topping up with boiling water as needed.
7. They are ready when the masa comes cleanly away from the leaf. Rest for 10 min before unwrapping.

Tips

• Jarred mole pastes often contain peanuts, sesame and wheat crackers, so check the label for allergies and gluten; homemade mole negro is ideal.
• Frozen banana leaves from Asian or Latin shops work well; thaw them first.

Sources

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

Maricruz Avalos ¡Hola! Jalapeño