I NEED A MEXICAN!!HAHA!?!
I need a really good, authentic tamale recipe! I am very picky about my mexican food because I live in southern Arizona practically right on the border, so I'm used to the real stuff!. There are people who come over from Mexico every weekend and sell their tamales and never in my life have I had any soooo good!. I've tried making them once, the flavor was good, but the masa was a disaster! Too thick and gooey!.!.!.!.Please give me a good one!!!Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
1 package dried corn husks
THE MASA
4 cups masa harina
4 cups lukewarm water
4 teaspoons Wyler's granulated chicken boullion
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups lard or vegetable shortening
CHILE SEASONING
2 ounces ancho chile -- dried
2 ounces pasilla chile -- dried
2 ounces guajilla chile -- dried
2 ounces New Mexican red chile -- dried
THE FILLING
1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or beef shoulder roast
1/2 large onion -- sliced
5 cloves garlic -- peeled & smashed
2 teaspoons salt
10 peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 tablespoons ground chile seasoning
4 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
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!.ht!.!.!.
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 hoWww@FoodAQ@Com
It can take hours to mix a good masa!. Some Mexican grocery stores sell pre-made masa on the weekends!. You can also buy masa mix and just add the water and shortening!. My mom replaces the lard with butter or margarine!. Get to know someone who makes them and volunteer to help make them!. It is an all day process!. My mom and aunts don't use a recipe they just add ingredients, so if we want to learn to make them on our own we have to write down what they do!. You could do the same!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
o!.k first u need meat, carrot strips potato strips jalapeno strips and masa u gotta make the masa with chili so add hot water 2 the masa and then put hot water in a pan and chilis the long red 1s then get the chilis and put in the blender and throw them in the masa and start making the masa flat and when there flat put the vegetebles in and wrap them and put them in a huge pot on medium for at least 5hrsWww@FoodAQ@Com