Tamales Recipe | Cooking On the Side (2024)

FAQs

What is a common mistake when making tamales? ›

One of the most common mistakes we've experienced with making tamales is having corn husks that are not soft enough to maneuver, fold, and seal. In order to have a husk that doesn't split and can be easily sealed together, you'll need to make sure to fully submerge your corn husks before you start filling and wrapping.

You can serve tamales with a variety of sides such as fried plantains, potatoes with rajas, Mexican rice and black beans. “When planning a tamalada, or tamal party, you can accompany your tamales with bowls of red and green salsa, crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco, fresh lime and pickled red onion,” Sibley says.

With meat-based tamales (yes, I know it's tamal in Spanish no need to offer corrections), I prefer crema mixed with a red or green salsa (usually to match whatever chiles are inside). Sour cream and Tapatio work in a pinch.

Estimate how many guests will come to your party and for the main meal, calculate between 2 and 3 tamales per person if you're serving them by themselves except for a frothy hot chocolate, champurrado or an agua fresca. For dessert, consider 1 or 2 per person.

A tamalada is is a traditional Mexican event where groups of family and friends gather together to make tamales, often around Christmastime.

Lard will add flavor and texture to your tamales, so before you start doing anything else, make sure to beat the lard thoroughly. Then, add the dough and the water alternating. That is the secret to fluffy tamales!

The prices for the most popular protein fillings of chicken and pork and even spices for tamale-making are up. “The majority of the spices we use to give the flavor to [tamales] come from Mexico,” said Cruz. “Exporting them here has a higher price. I think the spices went up 40% from previous years.”

You don't have to worry about overworking masa for tamales the same way you would with wheat flour, but you still don't want to overdo it. Wheat flour is easy to overwork because wheat gluten will activate and create a gummy, sticky texture.

Simply peel back one end of the wrapper (typically a corn husk or plantain leaf) and start munching. Once you're done, toss the wrapper in the trash and continue going about your day. Tamales were originally meant to be eaten as a handheld food, the way you might nibble a sandwich or bagel wrapped in deli paper.

Tamales are full of nutrition thanks to their high fiber content, well-rounded macronutrient composition, and micronutrients. Filled varieties in particular make great meals since they're higher in protein. Therefore, they're wonderful foods to incorporate to promote your health.

Are tamales a full meal? ›

The most popular version of the Tamal in Nicaragua is the nacatamal and sometimes serves as an entire meal in itself. It is a traditional dish with indigenous origins.

Baking powder prevents the tamales chewiness rise caused by a decrease in fat content. At a high fat content, baking powder does not cause major changes in tamales texture. In the absence of fat, the leavening agent causes a desirable tamales texture.

Most recipes suggest 1 hour 20 minutes. Some might not need that long, some might need to go longer. Depends on what you put in them and how much of it you put in. I usually cook mine for an hour or so, A good way of testing if the tamales are done is by slightly pull the corn husk on one of them.

Plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and parchment paper are all pretty common suggestions. They don't impart the same flavor that corn husks do, but they'll hold the thing together as it cooks until it's solid, and it's safe to use.

They are typically wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf before being steamed, which helps to keep them moist and infuse them with flavor. Tamales are a staple of Mexican cuisine and are enjoyed both as a main dish and as a snack. They are enjoyed year-round but are often made as a Christmas tradition.

“It was very common for us to have tamales for breakfast after a day of cooking,” Alin said. “But here in the United States, they are mostly considered lunch or dinner.” The most popular flavors are chicken and pork, but tamale filling options are almost endless.

Do You Eat Salsa with Tamales? A well-seasoned and properly cooked tamale is perfectly delicious without any condiments at all. But feel free to set out hot sauce, salsa, escabeche, or sliced avocado to go with your tamales.

If presents won't bring people together come the holidays, tamales most definitely will. This traditional Christmastime staple is best served alongside a savory Tamale Sauce...but let's not serve it with just any Tamale Sauce. Serve them with the absolute best Tamale Sauce!