COLOMBIAN TAMALES IN BANANA LEAVES

COLOMBIAN TAMALES IN BANANA LEAVES image

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

2 banana leaves, soaked 3 minutes in boiling hot water
12 one foot square pieces of aluminum foil
Marinade:
1 medium onion, quartered
1 tablespoon dry thyme
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon salt
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 packets (1 tablespoon) Sazon Goya con azafran
3 cups water
3 chicken thighs, skinned and boned, cut in 1" cubes
1 pound side pork, cut in 1" cubes
2 medium potatoes
2 carrots
1/2 cup soy oil
One 8 ounce jar green olives
2 pounds Masarepa instant cornmeal dough

Steps:

Put all marinade ingredients into blender and blend for 2 minutes. Divide marinade into two separate medium bowls. Add chicken cubes to one bowl, mix briefly, cover and place in the refrigerator. Add pork cubes to second bowl. Mix briefly, cover and place in the refrigerator. Leave both to marinate over night. The next day simmer meats separately in their own marinades in medium- sized saucepans for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes, slice them into 1/8" rounds and put them in a cup of water to keep their white color. Peel carrots and slice into 1/8" rounds. Cut banana leaves along grain every 4" resulting in 4" x 12" strips. Once meat has cooled to warm, drain juices from both meats into the instant cornmeal, add soy oil, and knead 5 minutes (adding small amounts of water or cornmeal as needed to make a workable dough). To assemble tamales, center a banana leaf strip on a square of aluminum foil. Shape about 1/2 cup of dough into a 1/8" thin oval by placing it on one side of a foot long piece of plastic wrap, folding the plastic over it and rolling a pin over it. Then place the thin oval on the left half of the banana leaf strip. Position 2 pieces each of chicken, pork, potato, carrot, and green olives on the oval. Once again, form a second oval with 1/2 cup of dough and place that on top of filling. Fold right side of leaf and aluminum foil over oval. Fold top and bottom of aluminum foil in towards center of oval and secure by pinching small folds to close the packet. This will leave one edge loose for steam to enter while cooking. Arrange packets in a spiral in a steamer (open end up). Steam over 2 inches of water for 1 hour, checking water level occasionally. Remove aluminum foil before serving. These freeze and re-heat beautifully.