When the moods strikes for tamales, this girl just has to make some! Ok, ok, so I promised a friend that I would share some meatless tamales with him and I was finally getting around to preparing them. One thing I knew for sure is that I wanted to fill them with fresh corn off of the cob. Even after grilling and then steaming the corn in the tamal, it still has that great snap when you bite into it!
Another great find is this 10 ounce can of whole green chiles for only $1.25!! I still can’t believe it. When I find the fresh version, which would be Anaheim peppers for me, they are $4.00 a pound. I keep several cans in my pantry at all times. They are perfect for a big batch of chile verde or just as an add in for any savory dish. One of the best things about tamales, besides that they are delicious, is that they can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner…or like right now! LOl!
For Masa
3 cups masa harina
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 packet Knorr Sazon
3 cups warm water or low sodium chicken broth
1 cup vegetable shortening, melted
For Grilled Corn and Green Chile
Olive oil
3 ears of fresh corn
1 small red onion, sliced thick
1 to 2 serranos or jalapeños, stems removed
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 ounce can of whole green chiles, diced (mild)
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
You will also need
30 to 36 corn husk
12 ounces of Oaxaca cheese, torn into strips (enough for
each tamal)
Directions
1. In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients to prepare the masa. Gradually add in the warm water or broth until dough forms. Work in the melted shortening until you get a thick , but spreadable masa. Cover and set aside.
2. Add the dried corn husk to a large container and cover with really hot water. Use a heavy bowl to weigh them down, set aside.
3. Preheat a stove top grill pan to medium heat. Drizzle the corn and red onion with olive oil and transfer to grill pan. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning as needed, until you get some good grill marks and the onions begin to caramelize. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove corn from cob and dice the red onions. Mix all of the ingredients to prepare the corn salsa, taste for salt.
4. Take a few corn husk and shake off excess water. Tear husk down to no wider than about 4 inches across the palm of your hand. Spread 3 tablespoons of masa evenly onto the bottom half. Fill with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of filling down the center and a strip of Oaxaca cheese. Fold in sides, then fold down top flap. I like to wrap my cheese filled tamales in pre-cut pieces of deli paper. Cook tamales, open side up, in a large steam pot for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes before serving. Yields up to 36 medium tamales. Serves with your favorite salsa or any leftover corn salsa and cheese.
Tips~ When steaming tamales, set your kitchen timer for 30 minutes and add a couple more cups of hot water to the tamale pot. It’s best to have too much water than not enough. You never want to run out of water while steaming. If you cannot find the deli paper, you can also use foil paper.
You know how I feel about tamales…enough said.
I know…I know….someday we will cook them together
When you said you were sharing them with a friend, I thought me. But nooooo it’s a him….one day Sonia I will hop on a bus and know on your puerta. Printingnrecipe and making my own. Woe is me.
Oh no…hahha…
I thought this was a new post as someone put on FB
I was reposting some corn recipes and saw the tamales…I always crave them when I see the pictures, lol!