Tamale

Isabel Orozco-Moore’s selected Mexican tamales enclose tender pork in red guajillo-and-ancho sauce inside masa-harina dough and dried corn husks. This route uses canola oil and ready chicken broth in the masa.

The dried corn husks soak for an hour in supplied hot water in a large bowl covered with foil. The supplied rinsed, stemmed and seeded chiles are covered with separate water in a medium pot, brought to a boil, removed from the heat and rested under a cover for ten minutes. A slotted spoon transfers them to a large blender with one cup of their own soaking liquid, one and a half cups of fresh water, garlic powder, half the kosher salt and ground cumin. If the blended sauce is not smooth, it passes through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.

The pork is cut into large four-inch chunks and seasoned with the remaining kosher salt. Olive oil heats in a large Dutch oven, and the pork sears in two batches before all the meat returns. The red chile sauce and bay leaf are added, brought to a boil and simmered under a cover over low heat for two and a half hours. In a separate very large mixing bowl, masa harina, fine salt and baking powder are stirred together. Canola oil is worked in by hand until the crumbly dough lightly holds its shape when pressed. Ready chicken broth is mixed in for three to five minutes until the masa is soft and spreadable; extra broth or masa harina may correct a dough that is too dry or too wet.

The husks are drained, patted dry with paper towels and laid on a baking sheet. Each selected husk rests smooth-side-up on a palm while the back of a spoon spreads a thin square of masa, leaving its upper third empty. One to two tablespoons of pork filling run down the centre. The long edges fold like a book, fold once more, and the pointed end folds upward, leaving the other end open. The assembled tamales are set aside.

Separate water and a coin go into the bottom of a large steamer before its insert. The tamales stand open-end-up, leaning against the pot. Under a tight lid, the water comes to a boil before the heat drops to medium-low for two and a half hours. One tamal is removed and rested for ten minutes to test whether its husk peels away easily; if it sticks, steaming continues in fifteen-minute increments. The cooked tamales transfer to the selected serving tray and rest for ten minutes before serving and unwrapping. Orozco-Moore describes tamales as a Mexican dish with regional and family versions across Mexico.