Serves: 24
Total Calories: 53

24 small corn husks, plus extra to line the steamer
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground pork
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 clove garlic (small), finely chopped
1/4 cup thick and chunky bottled red salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Mexican canela or Ceylon variety preferred)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1. Prepare the tamale dough and reserve it at room temperature. Soak the corn husks in hot tap water about 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet and cook the pork, stirring and breaking it into small pieces, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt, then the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to blend flavors. Add salt if desired. Remove from heat to cool. When cool enough to handle, using fingers or a fork, break up any pork clumps to make a fine-textured mixture. Cool completely.

3. To assemble the tamales, remove corn husks from the water, pat dry and put on a plate. Cover with a damp kitchen towel to keep moist. Tear about 30 thin strips from the extra corn husks for tying around the tamales. Put 1 husk on a flat surface. Put 2 teaspoons of tamale dough in the center of the husk and spread into a thin rectangle. Put 1 teaspoon filling down the center of the dough. Fold the sides of the husk toward the center, overlapping. Fold the top and bottom toward the center and repeat with remaining husks and filling. Any extra filling can be refrigerated or frozen for another use.

4. Put about 3 inches of water in the bottom of a large steamer and drop in a coin. (A rattling coin means there's still water in the steamer.) Line the steamer rack with extra husks. Arrange tamales seam side down. Cover with more corn husks or aluminum foil. Tuck a kitchen towel on top. Put on the lid and steam about 1 hour or until the dough is firm and the husk pulls away from the dough. Do not let the steamer boil dry. If the coin stops rattling, very cautiously add hot water. Serve hot.

From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 24
Total Calories: 53
Calories from Fat: 42

More Recipes from the 1,000 Mexican Recipes Cookbook:
* Enchiladas, Tamales, and Tortilla Casseroles
Baked Aztec Chicken Casserole
Basic Corn Tortilla Dough
Basic Corn Tortillas
Basic Crepes
Basic Tamale Dough
Black Bean Enchiladas
Cheese Enchiladas in Red Sauce
Cheese and Tortilla Casserole
Chicken and Tortilla Casserole with Green Sauce
Corn Crepes
Corn Crepes with Chicken and Corn
Crepes with Corn Mushroom
Folded Tortillas in Bean Sauce
Folded Tortillas in Pasilla Chile Sauce
Folded Tortillas in Tomato Sauce
Fresh Corn Tamales
Masa Dumplings
Meatball and Tortilla Casserole
Mushroom Crepes
Pork and Tortilla Casserole
Potato and Tortilla Casserole
Seafood Enchiladas
Stacked Beef Enchiladas
Swiss Enchiladas
Tamales Wrapped in Swiss Chard
Tamales in Banana Leaves, Oaxaca Style
Tamales with Beef or Pork
Tamales with Chicken
Tamales with Jalapeños, Cheese, and Corn
Tamales with Shrimp
Tamales, Monterrey Style
Tortilla, Bean, and Corn Casserole
Tortilla, Corn, and Zucchini Casserole
Tortillas in Ancho Chile and Red Pepper Cream Sauce
Turkey Enchiladas in Green Sauce
Vegetable Enchiladas
Vegetable Tamales with Black Bean Sauce
White Flour Tortillas
Yucatán Tamale Pie