»
n
a
v
i
g
a
t
e
«
« back to all recipes

Vegetarian Tamales


Tamales are made of corn flour dough stuffed with meat or vegetables, cheese, and sauce. Traditionally, they are wrapped in either a corn husk or banana leaf. Variations are found all over Central and South America, but most people are familiar with Mexican style tamales. They are especially common in Mexico during Christmas time.
Found in: Latin America, Mexico
Categories: Main Dishes
Recipe credit: The Global Foods Online Kitchens
Image credit: Jason Coutermarsh Photography
recipe image
 
Buy the Tamales Making Kit from Global Foods Online!
package image
Our Tamales Making Kit contains the equipment and ingredients you need to get started making authentic Mexican tamales. The kit includes a masa spreader, which simplifies the task of spreading the dough on the corn husk. You will also receive a top-quality steamer designed specially for cooking tamales, corn flour you need to prepare the dough, and more! See the list at the bottom of this page for just a few of the types of tamales you can make with this kit. Buy it today and make your own tasty tamales or gift one to any home chef you know!

$56.00
 
Ingredients
  • About 2 dozen corn husks
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 2 cups corn masa flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1/2 cup kernels
  • 1/4 cup peas
  • 1/4 cup carrots, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/8 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1/2 cup black beans
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 small block cheddar cheese, cut into strips about 2 inches long
  • 1 can Salsa Ranchera

Instructions:
1. Soak corn husks in water for at least two hours.

2. Pulverize raw white rice in food processer. Adding rice to the dough will make the tamale dough more fluffy.

3. Combine pulverized rice with masa flour, salt, black pepper, cumin, broth, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until fluffy. This dough is called masa, and it’s important to get it to the right consistency. If it’s too dry, add a little more broth, but not too much because the masa should be light, not dense. ¡Masa matters!

4. Prepare filling by combining the corn, peas, carrots, bell peppers, beans, olives, cumin, red, and black pepper. You can use fresh or canned vegetables, whichever you prefer.

5. Rinse the husks as you pull them out of the water. Each corn husk has a shiny side and a dull side. You are going to want the dull side to face out, so you’ll spread your prepared masa on the shiny side of the husk. Using a masa spreader, spread the masa evenly, 1/8-¼ of an inch thick across the breadth of the husk, and from the top of the husk to about ¾ its length.

6. Place a few spoonfuls of the vegetable filling in the center of the masa. Keep the filling away from the edges.

7. Place a strip or two of the cheese in the center of the masa as well.

8. Pour a little sauce on the filling, but not so much that it will leak out of the tamale. A teaspoon or two is enough for each one.

9. Fold the left side past the center and then the right side over it, wrapping the filling inside the masa. Fold the bottom part of the husk up so it creases about at the point where the masa ends inside the husk. Use strips of the husk to tie it.

10. In the bottom compartment of your tamales steamer, called a tamalera, pour about 2 inches of water. Place the rack into the tamalera and arrange the tamales with their tops of the pointing up.

11. Steam them over medium heat for about an hour to an hour. You will know they are done when you can stick a fork into the side of one and have it come out clean.

12. Enjoy the tamales with extra sauce for dipping.
Comments