Recipe - New Mexican Pork Tamales

1 One half pound Pork loin or other tender;
lean cut, fat removed
1 md White onion; chopped
2 cup Water
2 tablespoon Canola oil
2 Cloves garlic; minced
1 tablespoon Flour
One half cup Dried ground chile (Chimayo
if available)
Three fourths teaspoon Salt
One fourth teaspoon Cumin
1/8 teaspoon Oregano

TAMALES
1 6 oz. pkg. dried corn husks
6 cup MASA HARINA
2 cup Oil
2 tablespoon Salt
4 One half cup Water or more as needed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pork and onion in med. baking dish and
cover with water. Bake for approx. 1One half hrs. or until meat pulls apart
easily. Remove pork from broth. Refrigerate broth. When cool, shred meat
with 2 forks or with dough blade of food processor. Strain broth after fat
has solidified on surface. (All of this can be done day before.) If the
broth doesn't measure 2 cups, add water to make 2 cups of liquid. Reserve
pork and liquid.

In large skillet, heat oil, add minced garlic and pork. Sprinkle flour over
mixture and stir constantly for about a minute as the flour begins to
brown. Add ground chile, broth and seasonings. Cook over med.low heat
until thickened and almost dry, stirring regularly, about 30 minutes.
Remove from heat.

Prepare corn husks by submerging in bowl or baking pan of hot water for 30
min. Separate husks and rinse them under warm running water to wash away
any grit or brown silks. Soak them in warm water until ready to use.
Prepare MASA. Measure MASA HARINA in large bowl. Add water, while stirring.
Add oil and salt and stir well. Use spoon, powerful mixer, or your hands.
When well blended should have the consistency of moist cookie dough. If it
begins to dry out, add more water. Cover with damp cloth if necessary.

Assemble tamales. Spread dough on smooth side of husk with back of spoon to
about 1/2" from side edges, 1" from top edge, and 2" from bottom edge.
Spoon about 2 Tbsp. of filling down center. Roll husk over so that MASA
covers filling and should come loose from husk. Then roll up husk and fold
bottom end under. Repeat until all MASA and filling is used. Stand tamales
loosely packed in a steamer/blancher/spaghetti cooker, or lay flat in a
criss cross pattern so steam can penetrate effectively. Cover pot and steam
for about 1 hr. to 1One fourth hrs or until the MASA is firm and pulls away from
husk easily.

Serve tamales warm. Let each person remove his own husks. May be topped
with green chile sauce, chili con carne, or cheese and onions if desired.

Busted and entered for you by: Bill Webster
Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #877 by Bill Webster thelma@pipeline.com on
Nov 01, 1997