Green Corn Tamales
Notes on ingredient list
The flavor will be better if you use lard. The final product may be lighter if you use shortening. A 2:1 lard to shortening mix worked very well for me in January in 2014. If you can find tan lard buy it rather than the white stuff that looks like shortening but either will do. Fresh masa is ground fresh corn with lime to help break it down. It's a dense wet dough. If you can't find it look up a recipe for tamale batter that uses masa harina, which is a dried product that may be easier to find. To roast the poblanos place them directly on a gas burner set to high heat and turn them often with tongs until they are charred all over. Let them cool about 1 minute and then zip them up in a ziplock bag for 10 to 15 minutes. Use your hands and a bit of water to remove most of the skin, then cut them open and discard the stem and seeds.
Make the Masa
Build the Tamales
Cook the Tamales
The flavor will be better if you use lard. The final product may be lighter if you use shortening. A 2:1 lard to shortening mix worked very well for me in January in 2014. If you can find tan lard buy it rather than the white stuff that looks like shortening but either will do. Fresh masa is ground fresh corn with lime to help break it down. It's a dense wet dough. If you can't find it look up a recipe for tamale batter that uses masa harina, which is a dried product that may be easier to find. To roast the poblanos place them directly on a gas burner set to high heat and turn them often with tongs until they are charred all over. Let them cool about 1 minute and then zip them up in a ziplock bag for 10 to 15 minutes. Use your hands and a bit of water to remove most of the skin, then cut them open and discard the stem and seeds.
Make the Masa
- In a stand mixer with the egg beater attachment beat the first set on high quite a bit until light in texture, about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add chunks of masa alternating with the milk towards the end to keep the mixer spinning. Add enough milk to form a medium thick cake batter.
- Beat on high at least a few more minutes and more if needed. When ready, a little batter should float in a cup of cold water, though for me this tends to happen almost right away and I still continue to beat a few more minutes just for the heck of it.
- Fold in the corn, cheese, and poblanos.
Build the Tamales
- Soak the husks in hot water for 10+ minutes. Use a heavy item to hold them down in the water. Pat husks dry as you use them.
- Lay a large husk down with pointy end (bottom) to you. You can also use two smaller husks and fan them out with a significant overlap to form a larger husk. Using ½ cup dough, maybe more, spread a 3/4 to 1" thick layer down the middle of the husk. Leave 2” to 3” border at bottom and ¾” at top.
- Fold the sides over the batter and then fold the bottom up.
- work them with your hands a bit to make a tamale shape.
- You can tie these with strips of husks but I never do.
Cook the Tamales
- Steam upright for 1 to 1.5 hours. Check the water a few times so that you don't burn the pot but be sure not to get the insides of the tamales wet if you need to add more water.
- They are done when the husk peels away fairly cleanly and easily.
- Let them rest off heat with the cover still on for about 10 to 20 minutes to firm up before serving.
- Yield: 2 dozen large tamales or 30 medium tamales
- Source: Modified from the Elote Cookbook
Category: Southwest/Mexican Modified 1/20/14