I just loooove me a good ole tamale, i can remember eating my grandmas as a kid and just wanting more! My dad never really made them, but we would buy them in bulk from a Mexican store in Milwaukee whenever we would go, they were like $5 a dozen, what a steal! I remember always wanting to make them, but really had no idea where to start, and i always heard how hard they were to make. Finally one day i said enough is enough, I’m gonna suck it up and learn how to make these, even if it kills me, well clearly it didn’t kill me, I’m still alive to write about it!

Everyone was right, they are a pain in the butt to make, if you have to do it by yourself, if you have someone helping you its so much easier. Making the dough is child’s play, but putting them together solo is a pain in the you know what, but in the end all the work is worth it, plus my husband really loves them.

I use the insta pot and they take about 55 mins, i have never made them any other way so if you don’t have an insta pot, i can at least help you with making the dough and wrapping them. I normally make chicken for me and cheese and chili peppers for my husband, the vegetarian, and the recipe normally yields like two dozen or so, i almost always stop at like 18 because thats how many fit comfortably into the insta pot.

 

Here’s the recipe, have fun and find you a helper!

8 oz package of corn husks

3 1/2 cups of mesa

2 1/4 cups of warm water

10 oz crisco

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 chicken stock

 

8 oz package of corn husks, soak them in warm water for 30 mins

3 1/2 cups of mesa

2 1/4 cups of warm water

mix those two together in mixing bowl and form a ball

add

10 oz crisco

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 chicken stock, we have subbed veggie stock for our extreme  veg friend, not the same but works

blend on medium speed for 5 mins, you want it to look like hummus. If they aren’t moist enough you will have dry tamales, trust me I’ve been there done that. So add a little more warm water if needed.

Now remove the husks from the water and dry them, I usually just squeeze them over the sink.

Place about 1/4  cup of dough in the center of each husk and spread it outward, I just sorta guesstimate  the amount, and experiment around. Then add the desired protein, or just cheese, then fold in the sides tight and flip the bottom up and wrap them with a thin strip of husk.

Now is where the chose your own adventure part begins, this is as far as I can get you unless you have an insta pot, if so carry on with the next steps, if not, head over to the good ole googles and find out how to steam them in the oven, let me know how it’s goes either way!

I must give credit to my husband for the next part, i dont really know how to use the insta pot, i get things ready and he does the magic!

add two cups of water to the bottom of the insta and then put in the steamer basket

add the tamales open ends up, 18 seems to be the magic number for us, make sure they are below the max line.

Put on the lid, make sure the pressure knob is in the sealing position, and set the manual button, high pressure for 20 mins, when the pot beeps let the steam release naturally for 10 mins. Allow the tamales to rest for 30 mins.

i actually prefer to put them in the fridge and reheat them the next day, they seem to taste a lot better the next day.

We tend to serve them with rice, makes a cute and filling meal. Enjoy! Don’t forget to tweet me photos if you make them.