Honduran Tamales

From El Salvador

The Tamal is a pre-Hispanic food and ritual, which has endured throughout history in South and Central America despite the various influences and incursions from other cuisines. This dish is made of masa, which is steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper, which is discarded before eating. Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chilies or any preparation according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned. Tamales are generally wrapped in corn husks or plantain leaves; recently aluminum foil also made its way to the Honduran cuisine (as seen here).

Honduran Tamales are easy to make but time consuming. Add the spice ingredients to suit your taste. When you cook your meat cook it with some of the cilantro and cumin to add more flavor to it.

Hen Tamales are made with corn dough seasoned previously, are filled with chicken and potatoes; are then wrapped in banana leaves is sewn for a few minutes. You can serve it with a dollop of cream and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee in the area of ​​western El Salvador. Enjoy this exquisite chicken tamale.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 pounds of corn
  • 4 hens
  • 2 pounds potatoes
  • 2 pounds green beans
  • 2 pounds Loroco (aromatic flower in bud)
  • 2 pounds tomatoes
  • 3 onions large
  • 5 green chilies
  • Herbs (mint, parsley, celery, etc)
  • 2 bags of relaxation (mix of species)
  • Oil 2 bottles (like some of the lard, can be 2 pounds)
  • 8 oz chicken broth
  • 2 bulbs of garlic
  • Achiote to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Hard eggs (optional)
  • Butter Cheese  (optional)
  • 2 dozen young leaves of bananas without cuts

(Recipe for 85 beautiful tamales)


PREPARATION

  1. STUFFED CHICKEN
  • The chickens are placed in a large covered bowl with water, Add salt to taste.
  • When they are soft, add an onion cut into 4 parts, herbs, and garlic bulb means. Let them cook 10 minutes.
  • When you are ready, allowed to cool and the meat of the skin separates the bones and viscera. The filling of our tamales is pure poultry without leftovers.
  1. SALSA
  • Tomatoes, 2 onions, garlic bulb, 1.5 bags of relaxation (previously toasted), green chiles, achiote (Salvadoran food coloring) liquefy.
  • It also includes, (and this is one of the main tips of Salvadoran tamales), skin and other parts of the chicken. All completely milled in a single sauce.
  • In a skillet cook the sauce enough oil is added, it is put 4 ounces of consome and stir until boiling.
  1. MASA
  • Corn sets, adding 1 cup of lime (product of mining) and water to cover. It is expected to be wobbly. Cooking time is approximately 1 hour on high heat. This corn should be ready one day before preparing tamales.
  • Corn washed well and is carried to the mill. Take care that fits a very consistent and not thick mass, because every detail is an elemental part for a delicious tamal at the end.
  • Mix the dough remaining broth from cooked chickens; we add 4 oz broth 3 cups of sauce and 2 bottles of oil. If necessary you put more water until a smooth paste (to make bread).
  • Cook over slow Fuejo to boiling, during which, consistently avoiding should remove adhering to the container. For this purpose a “palette” of wood is used.
  • Let it cool,
  1. FILLING PLANT
  • Peel potatoes and cut into small pieces; vein of the beans is removed and cut into 1 cm pieces; the lorocos gajita taken and each cut into two parts; all placed in separate containers.
  1. PACKAGE
  • Banana leaves are taken (usually sold fresh) and placed in the sun for about 2 hours or, passed through boiling water, a process that is faster, to make them docile. Passed through a crate with water to sanitize and then placed in small groups.

DESIGN Tamales.

  • A portion of banana leaf 30 x 40 cms (approx) is taken, and the center 1/2 cup dough is placed, a large hole opens in the center and is put 1 tablespoon of salsa, a good piece Meat, 3 pieces of potato, a gajita of lorocos (xóticos provide a taste and smell), some chopped green beans.
  • Is that this filling is the center, is wrapped and secured. If desired you can put 2 cm or 1/4 cheese egg (optional).
  • When finished wrapping the tamales are Boil about 1 hour, in a large, covered with water recently. They are quick cooking since most ingredients are cooked.
  • YES, IS QUITE WORK, BUT THE RESULT IS WORTH! Tamales SALVADORIANS STEP UP YOUR DELICIOUS TASTE OR WHEN SERVED TO COOL.