Tamales Nortenos (Part 1)

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

THE MASA
CHILE SEASONING
THE FILLING
For a  version of this recipe complete with  step-by-step pictorial
instructions, visit the Mexican page on my Home Cookin' website:
http://members.aol.com/garhow/cooking.htm.
There are several different styles of tamales. Tamales from central Mexico
are thick and fluffy and are mostly dough. Many commercially made tamales
in the United States are similar. I have found tamales in Colorado
restaurants fit this description. This recipe is for homemade tamales as
prepared in Northern Mexico and is typical of the tamales made in Texas.
They are thin, about the thickness of a very fat finger, and about 2 1/2
inches long. There is a high ratio of the strongly chile and cumin flavored
filling to the dough.
These are the kind of tamales I grew up on. I fondly remember living in San
Antonio where every small Mexican grocery had a steamer full of homemade
tamales on the counter. My parents would stop and pick up a dozen and pass
a couple of the steaming hot tamales to my brother and I in the backseat. A
few years ago while living in Denver I was frustrated with the tasteless,
doughy mass that passes for a tamale there and became determined to learn
to make my own.
The subject of making tamales comes up frequently on food-related mailing
lists and newsgroups. The process is difficult to explain verbally. Now,
with the magic of the internet I can share the secret of homemade tamales
pictorially. Making tamales is a time-consuming, labor-intensive effort but
don't be discouraged. With a little practice you can turn out professional
looking homemade tamales and you won't regret it. Just pick an afternoon to
devote to tamale making and give it a try. Tamales freeze well and can
either be reheated in the microwave or by steaming.
The Corn Husks: The dried husks are brittle and must be soaked in water to
soften them before they can be rolled into tamales. In the package, the
husks for a whole ear of corn are usually pressed together. Separate the
individual husks being careful not to break them, since they are fragile
when dry.
Place the separated husks in a large pot and cover with hot water. Leave
them to soak for about one hour. You can put a plate with a heavy object on
it on top of the tamales to keep them submerged. When soft, rinse the husks
well and put back into a pot of clean water.
The Filling: While the husks are soaking, prepare the meat filling. The
chile used to season tamales is the ancho. The ancho is the ripened, dried
form of the poblano. It has a rich, smoky flavor. While other dried chiles
can be used for seasoning, the ancho provides an authentic flavor. I like
to use a combination of chiles for seasoning tamales.
Toast the dried chiles on a hot cast-iron griddle for a few minutes on each
side. Be careful not to burn the chiles or they will have a bitter taste.
As the chiles toast, they will become soft and pliable and may puff up. Put
aside to cool. The chiles will become very crisp and brittle when cooled.
When cool, remove the seeds and stems and crumble into small pieces. Put
the pieces into a coffee mill or spice grinder and grind into a fine
powder. Store the ground chile mix in a jar to use for seasoning other
Mexican dishes.
You can use a variety of meats for making tamales. I use either beef or
chicken, but pork is traditional. I also use vegetable shortening, although
again, lard is traditionally used in Mexico. Cut the meat into 1" to 2"
chunks. Heat the lard or shortening in a heavy bottomed pot and brown the
meat. When brown, add enough water to cover the meat and add the onions and
garlic. Simmer until the meat is fork tender and flakes apart. For beef
shoulder roast this will take about 2 - 3 hours.

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