CELEBRATNG CHRISTMAS WITH TAMALES - Tamale Lore, Legend and Recipes

HOLIDAY POCKETS OF PLEASURE
'Tis the season for tamales! I adore the masa pocket that's made tasty with pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables, or sweets. (And I particularly take pleasure in the ones charged with chile.) Typically, tamales are wrapped in a corn husk, then steamed and served plain (without sauce).
"Tamale," [tuh-MAH-lee] comes from the Nahuatl word "tamalii." It's been a staple in Mexico and the Southwest for hundreds of years. The exact origin of tamales is unknown, but legend says the Aztecs ate them long before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. In Mexico, tamales are traditionally prepared with friends and family on Christmas Eve and then served warm on Christmas Day to callers who drop by.

ANTOJITOS
        Tamales are considered an "antojito," which can be interpreted as "a little thing that you crave." The nibbles are usually based on masa - dough made from field corn. The corn is soaked and boiled in limewater - a method that breaks down the hulls - and then ground into a paste, traditionally on a metate, a stone with a flat or concave surface. The batter is used to prepare tortillas, enchiladas, tacos, and, of course, tamales. Antojitos can be munched as a snack or an appetizer, or served as a main course - a custom in many U.S. Mexican-style eateries, where they are often accompanied by scoops of rice and refried beans. In Mexico, antojitos are customarily eaten as a light meal or as a snack.
        Many home chefs have tried unsuccessfully to prepare masa using cornmeal rather than masa harina (corn flour). Cornmeal is simply too granular and has not been processed with limewater, which gives masa its unique taste, texture and flavor. Fortunately, masa harina is readily available in most local grocery stores and can usually be found in the same aisle along with whole wheat and white flours.

TRADITIONAL TAMALES
        Diane Kennedy, author of The Art of Mexican Cooking [Bantam, 1989] describes traditional Mexican tamales as "varied." The pockets, she writes, come in a slew of shapes, wrappings, flavors and textures. And the ingredients vary from the "rare (alligator tail)" to the "mundane (chicken)." Some tamales are prepared with an extremely thin, finely ground masa, which is spread on banana leaves.  The thicker masas, slathered on sturdy corn husks, are made with corn that has been 'refregado'," explains Kennedy, "cleaned of all the transparent skins, and less finely ground."

TAMALES WITH A REPUTATION
        Unfortunately, tamales have an unmerited reputation as being a time-consuming dish to prepare - justifiable so if you plan to grow and grind your own corn. But since masa harina can be purchased ready-made, making tamales is relatively simple (see recipes below), and, better yet, they're actually fun to prepare, especially among friends sharing a pitcher of Sangria. 

THE ETIQUETTE OF UNWRAPPING A TAMALE...
is offered by Steve Ettlinger, author of the Restaurant Lover's Companion [Addison-Wesley, 1995]: "Sometimes [corn husks] are tied around the middle with a small strip of corn husk...to unwrap, grab one end of the bow and pull. Next, grasp the corn husk where it protrudes beyond the end of the tamale, hold it a few inches above the plate, and shake gingerly. The tamale should slide out and you should be left holding the husk. Alternatively, in casual surrounds, tamales can be eaten with the hands by gently squeezing out a bite-full at a time." 

THE GIFT OF A TAMALE
During my home holiday parties, I tie each sweet tamale bundle with festive colored ribbon curls, adding sprigs of artificial holly or poinsettias. I then offer the tasty "gifts," using a decorated basket as a serving tray.

TAMALE FACE-OFF
        When tamales arrive at the table, they are usually steaming hot and still wrapped in cornhusks. Don't make the mistake that a former elected official in United States made when he was served a tamale apparently for the first time: He took a presidential bite without removing the corn husk first!

TAMALE FEST
On December 5 and 6, the resort village of Indio, just east of Santa Ana, California, will celebrate the tamale as a traditional holiday food by hosting their 7th annual Indio International Tamale Festival, which draws more than 70,000 tamale chompers. The event, similar to our Whole Enchilada Fiesta, includes a parade, Folkloric dancing, arts and craft vendors, a carnival, kid's activities, cooking demonstrations, and tamale judging and awards.  It's the only tamale festival in the western United States. So, if you happen to be headed west this weekend, plan to attend. I understand that the family affair is colorful, entertaining, fun and the award winning tamale "delicioso!"

BURNING ADVICE
Las Crucen Mary Kleinman recently mailed me a handcrafted red and green chile card with a "chile flash" message inside. "[I] discovered the hottest salsa...Take I-10 East to Van Horn, Texas (1st exit). Stop at Pappa's Pantry Café. Salsa is a red/green mix. Lots of seeds and ribs. Red enchiladas sauce is warm and good. Fire is flavorful...keep shoveling salsa in like I do, and suddenly your mouth explodes!" Now, that sounds like a chile challenge!

CLASSIC TAMALES (Heat scale 5) (Yield: 2 1/2 to 3 dozen)
from The Whole Chile Pepper Book [Little, Brown & Co, 1990] by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach

1 cup classic red chile sauce (homemade or canned)
1 2-pound pork roast
dried corn husks
6 cups masa
1 cup shortening
2 1/2 to 3 cups meat broth

Cover the pork roast with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the pork is very tender and starts to fall apart, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove the roast and save the meat broth. With 2 forks or fingers, shred the meat finely.  Combine the pork with the chile sauce and simmer for 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary.  Soak the corn husks to soften. Mix the masa with the shortening and meat broth and knead to the consistency of solid dough.
To Assemble: Spread the center of a corn husk with 2 tablespoons of the masa dough and top with 1 tablespoon of the meat. Fold the sides of the husk toward the center, then fold the bottom and the top and tie with a thin strip of corn husk. Put two cups of water in the bottom of a large kettle, place the tamales on a rack, and steam one hour for each one dozen of tamales. (Steamers especially designed for tamales can be purchased at many grocery stores.)

SWEET TAMALES (Yield: 3 dozen)
>From Seasoned with the Sun [Junior League of El Paso, Inc., 1989]

1 pound masa harina
1/2 pound lard (do not substitute)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup chicken or pork broth
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2  pounds corn husks

Mix masa, lard and baking powder together until a small portions the size of a pea floats in a glass of cold water. Add rest of ingredients to dough and mix thoroughly. Place 2 tablespoons dough in middle of cornhusk, spreading towards top end. Overlap husk in a roll and fold bottom of husk up 1 1/2 inches. Place on flat surface with fold underneath. Repeat until all dough has been used. Follow steaming directions for Classic Tamale Recipe above.