Tamales de Pasitas con Nuez
Corn tamales have prevailed for at least five centuries as ubiquitous protagonists in ceremonies and rituals such as Día de los Muertos. This preparation is from Durango, and I want to thank Ricardo Gurrola for providing me with the recipe. They go deliciously well with Strawberry Atole (page 29).
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 1 dozen
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the cornhusks, place them in a bowl, and cover with boiling water for at least half an hour, or until they are soft (put a plate on top and weight it with a large can to keep them submerged).
Step 2
Bring the water to a boil and combine with the masa harina, stirring until smooth. Reserve.
Step 3
Beat the lard with a wooden spoon or in a mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add the brown sugar and half of the masa. Beat for about 30 seconds, add a little bit of the milk, then alternate adding milk and the rest of the masa, beating after each addition and adding enough milk so the mixture is thick but still pourable. Add the salt and baking powder, beat for a couple of minutes, and then test the dough by putting a bit of the batter in a glass filled with cold water. The batter should float. If it doesn’t, continue beating until it does. Beat in the canela, pecans, raisins, acitrón, and a few drops of red food coloring until just 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 into a rectangle 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 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.
