Pork Tamales

Tamales are a traditional Latin American dish. They are made from masa (a starchy dough, usually based on corn), which is spread on a wrapping made of leaves (e.g., corn husks), and then filled with meat, cheese, vegetables, and chilies, seasoned with various spices. The prepared bundles are then cooked. The leaves are not eaten!

Details

  • Preparation Time: 35 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 180 minutes
  • Difficulty: 2
  • Spiciness: 2
  • Number of Servings: 16

Ingredients

  • 250 ml Sour cream

chili sauce

  • 4 pieces Chili peppers, red chili, fresh

  • 1.5 teaspoons Salt, table

dough

  • 450 g Koruzna moka, whole grain, white

  • 350 ml Soup base, beef, cube

  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder

  • 0.5 teaspoons Salt, table

  • 150 g Lard

filling

  • 650 g Meat, pork, shoulder

  • 1 piece Onion, raw

  • 1 pod Garlic, fresh

ovoj

  • 16 pieces Grapevine, leaves, fresh

Steps

  1. Peel the onion, wash it, and cut it in half. Peel the garlic. Wash and dry the pork, then place it in a large pot with a thick bottom along with the onion and garlic. Cover everything with water. Place the pot on high heat and wait for the water to boil. Reduce the heat and let the meat simmer slowly for about 2 hours.

  2. Wash the chilies, cut them in half, and remove the seeds. Pour 0.5 liters of water into a pot and add the chilies. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the liquid cool slightly. Then, pour the liquid and chilies into a blender and blend into a smooth mixture. Add salt.

  3. Remove the cooked meat from the pot and cut it into smaller pieces. Place the pieces in a bowl and mix with 250 ml of chili sauce. Soak the corn husks in a large bowl of warm water.

  4. In a large bowl, whip the lard with 1 tablespoon of broth base until fluffy. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt, then combine this mixture with the whipped lard. While continuously mixing, add enough broth base to form a soft dough that can be spread on the husks with a spoon. Drain the corn husks and dry each one thoroughly.

  5. Spread the dough on the inside of the husks, 0.5 to 1 cm thick. Place 1 tablespoon of the meat filling on each husk. Wrap the corn husks around the filling and fold the tip of the bundle. Place the bundles in a steamer pot. Steam the bundles for about 1 hour.

  6. Once the bundles are cooked, unwrap them and discard the husks. Arrange the tamales on plates and pour the remaining chili sauce over them. Optionally, top with a dollop of sour cream. Serve the prepared dish.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 295.12 kcal
  • Fat: 17.3 g
    • Saturated Fat: 6.15 g
  • Carbohydrates: 23.51 g
    • Sugars: 0.82 g
  • Protein: 8.81 g
  • Fiber: 2.15 g

Advice

When working with chilies, use kitchen gloves to avoid accidentally transferring the chilis heat to your eyes. Instead of corn husks, you can prepare the tamale wrappers yourself using foil and parchment paper, cut into squares with 20 cm sides. Tie the prepared bundles with kitchen string to prevent them from opening during cooking.