Vegetarian Tamale Recipe With Vegetable Beans Filling Cook S Hideout

Tamale is the name that is typically used for a wide group of foods made with masa harina. They are made wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf and are either steamed or boiled. These are widely made in South, Central Americas and the Caribbean. They have many different names and are made differently in these countries. Basically tamale are softly steamed cornmeal (masa) wrapped around a delicious filling. They are portable and are sold as street food in some countries. They are also made as part of a festive meal and served with side dishes. Recipe is from “Viva Vegan” cookbook. I have changed it a little to make it suitable for my family. First and foremost thing to know about tamale is that they are time consuming to make. They are a labor of love and will take about 1.5~2 hours minimum to make them. So make sure you give yourself enough time to make them. Do not start cooking just before lunch or dinner time. Also get somebody to help you and the whole process will be done in a breeze. I have tried to break down the recipe, so it is easy to follow. Also I have included some advance planning tips below which makes it easier and faster.

Ingredients

There are some specific ingredients that you need to make this recipe. To make the dough for the crust: Mexican-style Masa Harina - a traditional flour that is used to make corn tortillas and other Mexican dishes. It is made from a dough made specially from treated corn. Read this ‘what is masa harina?’ article from How Stuff works? for more information. So in the supermarket, look for instant masa harina. MASECA is a common brand found in the US. When in doubt, check to see if it is made in Mexico or Central America and you are good to go. Vegan Shortening & Vegan Margarine - Traditionally, masa dough is made with lard. But this recipe uses vegan alternates making it 100%Vegan but equally delicious. You also need: Vegetable broth, garlic powder, salt and baking powder Corn Husks - these are available in most well-stocked grocery stores. Buy the largest, cleanest looking husks packed in neat bundles. For the Filling - I used frozen spinach, onion, peppers, frozen black beans & corn. Flavored it with garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Feel free to add cheese as well.

Instructions

Prep the Corn Husks: Dried corn husks need to be soaked in warm water prior to using to make them soft & pliable. Fill a deep pan with warm water and soak the dried husks for 15~20 minutes. Once the husks are ready, then drain and keep them ready.
Start by making the filling: Saute the veggies in a little bit of oil until cooked through. Make the dough: Beat shortening and margarine with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the masa harina, flavorings and baking powder. Pour warm vegetable broth and beat until the liquid is absorbed and the dough is fluffy. Dough should be moist like mashed potatoes and should be easily spreadable. Make Tamale - Method 1: Take a soaked corn husk and spread a ¼ cup of dough down the center about 5" long and 3" wide and ½" thick. Spoon a generous 2 tablespoons of filling along the center of the dough. Next grab the edges of the corn husk and bring the dough edges together. Push the sides of the masa dough together to encase the filling. Gently press to form a firm, solid tube shape. Twist the ends using a piece of corn husk strip. Method 2: Instead of spreading the dough in the center, spread in the top half of the corn husk. Place the filling and push the sides of the masa dough together to encase the filling. Fold the corn husk into a tube and turn the bottom part over. Steam: Once all the vegetarian tamale are filled and ready to go, it is time to steam them. You can use a steamer or an instant pot to do that. Instructions for steamer are in the recipe card.

Making Tamale in Instant Pot

Instant Pot definitely makes steaming tamale faster and more efficient. I used my 6 quart instant pot. You might have to steam them in batches. Add about 1 cup of water in the instant pot container. Place the prepared tamale in a steamer basket. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure reduce naturally.

How do you know when Tamale is ready?

Fully cooked tamale dough should be tender but solid and not wet. Peel the corn husk back to check.

How to Serve & Store Tamale?

These vegetarian tamale are best served hot with salsa or chile sauce with beans, rice or salad on the side. You can either serve them with the corn husk or unwrap them before serving. Tamale freeze perfectly. Make sure to completely cool them in their husks. Wrap them in foil or plastic wrap individually. Then store them in a plastic bag until ready to serve. Warm them briefly in the microwave before serving.

Vegetarian Tamale filling ideas

Here are some ideas for the fillings:

Black beans & roasted sweet potatoBlack beans & CheeseSpinach & mushrooms

Tips

Never, ever start making tamale just before meal time. These require some preparation and cooking time, so make sure you give yourself enough time to make them. Look for MASECA brand instant masa harina. When in doubt, check where it is made or imported from - it should be from Mexico (or Central America). Do not buy masarepa from Colombia or Venezuela.Set up an assembly line, so it is easy and stress-free to make this recipe.Soak more husks than you need for the recipe because there might be rips and tears. Also you need a few extra to line the steamer basket and tie the tamale.Dough should be cooked as soon as it is made. Cooked tamale can be frozen for up to 3~4 months. Simply microwave until heated through before serving.