Tamal de Fresa
You can find all sorts of corn flour (masa harina) in Mexico, and their colors can seem almost fake. The best place to find them is the food mills, and they are commonly found near markets. Whenever I can, I like to make this dish with pink or blue corn because it enhances the color in a natural way and it somehow seems more fun.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 2 dozen
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the cornhusks under cold water, place them in a bowl, and cover with boiling water (put a plate on top and weight it with a large can to keep them submerged). Let sit for at least 30 minutes, or until soft.
Step 2
Wash the strawberries, dry them, and remove any green parts with the tip of a knife. Put them in a bowl and mash with your hands or a potato masher, then add the vanilla and salt. You want them to still be a bit chunky. Set aside.
Step 3
In a bowl, combine the butter, shortening, sugar, and baking powder with a handheld mixer or in a mixer with the paddle attachment and blend until very creamy. Add the masa harina and mix well (it’ll look a bit like coarse meal). Continue to mix, adding a bit of the milk and alternating with the mashed strawberries until fully combined.
Step 4
Drain the cornhusks and scoop about 1/4 cup of the batter into a husk, spreading it with the back of a spoon and leaving at least 1 inch all around (a little more on the long sides). If the husks are too small or broken, put two together and overlap them. Fold one of the long sides toward the center, and then fold the other long side on top. Tuck the exposed sides underneath; if they are still too small, wrap the tamale in another husk and tie it with a thin strip of husk (this isn’t necessary but is just an extra precaution). Repeat to use up all the batter.
Step 5
Fill a pot with enough hot water to reach just underneath, but not touching, a steamer (you can use the collapsible kind if you don’t have a special pot). Cover the bottom of the steamer with leftover cornhusks and arrange the tamales vertically, standing them up so they rest against one another. Cover with any remaining leaves or scraps, cover with a lid, and cook over medium heat until the tamales slide out of the wrappers, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add more boiling water to the bottom pot as needed to make sure water reaches the bottom of the steamer. Serve warm. The tamales can be cooled and stored in the freezer, wrapped tightly, for up to 3 months.
