MEXICAN PORK TAMALES

Mexican Pork Tamales image

Tasty Street food from Mexico and Central America, spicy filling covered in corn dough and wrapped in a corn husk and steamed.

Provided by tamaleman52

Time 2h

Yield Makes Pieces

Number Of Ingredients 27

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Ingredients

6 Cups of Corn Masa flour (mexican is best)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Chilli Powder
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 pack Lard (or one cup Corn Oil) Lard is best
2 Tablespoons baking powder
6 cups of broth (see later stage of cooking)
For filling
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon Cumin
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon recado paste
water to cover meat at least 20 cups
10 dried chipotle chillies (soaked till soft then diced) or 3 fresh Habanero's
3 medium onions
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon dried Oregano (Mexican if you can get it)
tin chopped tomatoes
To Finish.
about 50 dried corn husks.
You will need a 20cm steamer this will hold approx 25 Tamales
all hard to find ingredients can be found at www.tamalesonline.co.uk

Steps:

Cook the Pork.
Remove the skin from the shoulder and chop into big chunks, pop in large saucepan and cover with at least 20 cups of water add seasoning's and bring to the boil, simmer for around 2 hours till meat can be shredded. When pork is ready remove from broth and leave to cool, DO NOT DISCARD THE BROTH.
Prepare the MASA.
In a large mixing bowl add 6 cups of Masa Flour, cumin, salt, pepper,garlic powder, paprika and baking powder. Add 6 cups of retained broth and beat in well, dissolve the lard in a bowl in a microwave, when liquid beat in to the dough for about 10 mins to get some air into the mix, makes for a fluffier masa. Leave covered to cool.
Put your husks in a mixing bowl and cover with hot water to soften (about 30 mins).
To make the Mole.
fry onions till brown, add tomatoes, seasoning's and chillis add the remaining broth bring to the boil then turn down to simmer, add 1 cup of masa flour and stir until the mole thickens a bit. Leave to cool.
Prepare the filling.
Shred the pork with your fingers or 2 forks and put into a mixing bowl. Add mole until you have a nice moist mixture (not to runny)
Make your Tamales.
Take a husk place on a flat surface, take one tablespoon of masa dough and spread over husk to within 1 inch of the edges. Place one tablespoon of filling onto the centre of the masa, pick up husk and roll the masa over the filling roll into a tube flip up the pointed end to make a packet and tie with butchers string or a strip of husk. Place in your steamer and steam for 90 mins, till cooked.
Once cooked you can eat them or store in the freezer for later. I vacuum seal mine in pairs they will keep for 6 months (if you can keep your hands off them). Best eaten hot with a good slosh of salsa and a nice crisp salad. To reheat steam for about 10 mins or re heat in microwave for about 2 mins well covered until piping hot.