Recipe - Tamales--Basic Procedure

MASA DOUGH
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cup Water
6 cup Masa harina

To make dough:

a. Dissolve salt in water and add to masa harina in a large mixing bowl.
b. Mix and knead briefly in bowl to make a stiff dough.
c. Transfer to a cutting board and form into an 8" to 10" log.
d. Cut dough into 18 equalsized pieces (about 1" each)
e. Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Set aside and cover with a
damp
cloth.

To assemble tamales:

a. If using dried corn husks, soften by steaming for 3 to 5 minutes or
soaking in warm water for 10 minutes. Fresh corn husks and parchment paper
are ready to use.
b. Flatten each ball of dough in the palm of your hand and form into a
shallow bowl shape.
c. Place 2 haeaping tablespoons of filling in center of each piece of
dough. Fold sides into corner.
d. Seal edges by pinching lightly with your fingertips.
e. Gently roll sealed tamales between your hands into a thick cigar
shape.
f. Place each tamale lengthwise int the center of a corn husk. Wrap the
two wide ends of the corn husk around the tamale. Fold the top edge of the
corn husk over the tamale.

To Cook tamales:

a. Lay tamales on stacked steamer trays. Cover and steam 40 to 45
minutes over rapidly boiling water. Add more water to pot as needed to
create steam. (If steamer trays are unavailable, 2 metal steamer baskets
placed in separate pots filled with water just below the baskets may be
used.)
b. Remove tamales from steamer, discard husks and serve warm or at room
temperature.

Per serving: (2 tamales) 144 cal, 0 g prot, 127 mg sod, 30 g carb, 1 g
fat, 0 mg chol, 3 mg calcium

From _Vegetarian Gourmet_ Summer 1993

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini