Authentic Mexican Tamales

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DVO Recipe Center
Serves: 4

Margarita Romano shows Dan how to make Authentic Mexican Tamales for Cinco de Mayo. Click here (56k) to watch the video. If you have a high speed connection, click here (300k) to see a higher quality video clip.

Margarita makes this recipe from memory and didn't have any amounts written down, so we've done our best to translate it into measurable amounts.

1 bag of Maseca
1 lb Manteca (lard from pork)
1 bag California red dry peppers (about 6 peppers)
1 cup tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts salt
2 packages dried corn husks (Ojas de Lote)


First, boil 4-5 chicken breasts in water, and save the leftover broth. Shred chicken, and set aside. Place the dried corn husks in water to soak, then set aside.

Salsa:

Melt 1 spoonful of Manteca (lard) in a frying pan. When the pan is hot, add dried California peppers, then add tomatoes, onions and garlic. Add a little of the chicken broth, enough to moisten the dried peppers. Simmer for 1-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. The peppers don't need to be completely softened, just moistened a bit. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend to the desired salsa consistency.

Pour into a bowl, then add salt to taste.

Tamales:

Pour 3-4 cups of Maseca into a bowl, add about 1 tablespoon salt, then pour in enough chicken broth to moisten it to a doughy consistency. Then dig in with your hands and start mixing it up! Margarita says it doesn't turn out as well if you use a spoon.

After about 1 minute of mixing, add 2 cups of melted Manteca (lard), and mix for another 4 minutes or so to a doughy consistency.

Next, spoon some of the mixture into the softened corn husks (they were soaked in water ahead of time), and coat the inside of the husk with a thin layer of mixture. Add shredded chicken and salsa, then wrap and steam for about 20 minutes.




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