Daring Kitchen Challenge: Tamales

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Maranda of Jolts & Jollies was our January 2012 Daring Cooks hostess with the mostess! Maranda challenged us to make traditional Mexican Tamales as our first challenge of the year! 

Vegan Black Bean and Green Chile Tamales

Servings: About 12 tamales

Ingredients1 – 8 ounce (225 grams) bag dried corn husks

For the filling:
1 – 15.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 – 14 ounce can diced tomato with green chiles, drained
1 – 10 ounce can diced green chiles, drained
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin

For the masa dough:
4 cups masa harina (corn tortilla mix), I used instant masa mix
2 ½-3 cups vegetable broth
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Follow the directions from the below recipe for soaking the corn husks.
2. Make the filling. Combine all ingredients for the filling in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Make the masa dough. Combine the olive oil, salt and masa mix in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until combined.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add 2 cups (480 ml) of vegetable broth. If the mixture seems to dry (you can taste it for moistness at this point) add more broth 2 tablespoons (30 ml) at a time.
5. Follow the directions in the below recipe for filling and cooking instructions.

Storage & Freezing Instructions/Tips:

The fillings can be made a day in advance and kept in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

The tamales can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Tamales can be made 2 days in advance. Let cool one hour, place in refrigerator in an air tight container.

IMAGES FROM THE DARING KITCHEN "OFFICIAL" DIRECTIONS

 Take 3 large corn husks and tear them into ¼ inch (6 mm) strips. (I would suggest you put these back in the water until use because they dry out and start breaking when you try to work with them.

 Take a large pot with a steamer attachment. Pour about 2 inches (5 cm) of water into the bottom of the pot, or enough to touch the bottom of the steamer. Line the bottom of the steamer with corn husks.

 Unfold 2 corn husks onto a work surface. Take ¼ cup (60 ml) of dough and, starting near the top of the husk, press it out into a 4 inch (10 cm) square, leaving 2-3 inches (5 -7½ cm) at the bottom of the husk. Place a heaping tablespoon (15 ml) of the filling in a line down the center of the dough square.

 Fold the dough into the corn husk.

 And wrap the husk around the dough.

Fold up the skinny bottom part of the husk.

And secure it with one of the corn husk ties.

Stand them up in the steamer. If there aren’t enough tamales to tightly pack the steamer, place crumpled aluminum foil in the excess space.

 Steam the tamales for about 40 minutes or until the dough deepens in color and easily pulls away from the husk.