The word tamal comes from the Nahuatl tamalli which means wrapped. This delicious dish is of indigenous origin, prepared with cooked corn dough and wrapped in leaves of different plants (banana, corn, maguey, among others). Stuffed with vegetables, chili, sauce, meat, chicken or fruit, sweet or savory, for all tastes! Tamales are the most popular among Mexicans.

They say there are between 500 and 5,000 different tamales across the country. Can you imagine all those flavors?

It is a delicious part of the Mexican traditional dishes, In Mexico we eat them on many important occasions, like the Day of the dead, when life and death are celebrated, tamales are put on altars as offerings to the dead and enjoyed in the company of our loved ones. We also celebrate Candlemas day; On February 2, the person who receives the Baby Jesus figurine in their Rosca de Reyes needs to invite everyone for tamales.

These are some of the tamal varieties from all over Mexico, the possibilities are really endless, they estimate that per year the production and sale of tamales around the country is in the hundreds of millions!

Holiday Tamales Recipe

Ingredients:

• Tamal leaf
• Tamal Flour Maseca 1kg
• Isadora Beans
• Rajas Jalapeño
• If you chose the filling rajas con queso: 200 gr of white cheese (we recommend queijo flamengo, gouda or mozzarella)
• 4-5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups of shortening veg or pork lard, you can also sub with a cup of oil
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 2 liters of water
• Fine Salt 

Equipment Needed

Below is the list of tools needed to make the recipe,

• 1 large tall stockpot (for steaming the tamales)
• Steamer basket
• 2 large bowls
• Electric Mixer (optional for whipping the shortening/lard)
• 1 small pot (for making broth)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cutting board
• Knife

Prep for Tamales:

Step 1: Soak the corn husks tamal leaf

Rinse the corn husks to remove any debris, then place into a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Let them soak for at least one hour.

Step 3: Prep your broth

If you’re making fresh broth, please prepare before hand, if you’re making broth from bouillon cubes make sure its cool to touch by the time of the workshop.

Step 2: Whip your shortening or pork lard

Make sure the vegetable shortening or pork lard is at room temperature for easy handling, the traditional way to whip the shortening/lard to achieve fluffy tamales is to do it by hand which takes 10-15 minutes, but to simplify this step use an electric mixer on medium to high speed for around 2-3 minutes. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can whip the shortening/lard by hand, the technique is to melt it with the warmth of your hands, by squishing it and tossing it back on the bowl, repeat this for 10-15 minutes. The shortening/lard should look white, light and creamy, adding volume to the shortening/lard will yield a lighter masa for tamales.

Make the Tamales!

STEP 1: MAKE THE DOUGH

Measure out two to three cups of broth, set the whipped shortening, pork lard, or oil on your workspace and in a large bowl, put 3 cups of the tamal flour, with your hands gradually alternate between adding the shortening and the broth. Mix until the masa is uniform and light, the texture should be that of a thick cake batter.

Pro tip: For a foolproof dough, there is a float test! Take a small chunk of your dough and drop it into a cold cup of water, the dough should float, if it doesn’t you have to keep working it!

STEP 2: PREP YOUR FILLING

Today you had two options for filling, Rajas con Queso and Beans with chipotle.

For the rajas con queso, we have provided you a can of rajas which already comes cut in strips, please drain and properly shake out the water, we don’t want soggy tamales.

For the beans and chipotle, open the packet of beans and put the beans in a small bowl. Open the can of chipotle, take out the chilies in the chipotle can and cut them into manageable strips to add to your tamales.

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE THE TAMALES

Drain the tamal leaves that have been soaking for the last hour, and pat them dry, then we will fill them assembly line-style:

• On the wide end of the husk, with a spoon spread 3 tablespoons dough to within 1/2 inch of the edges
• Top each with 2 rajas and 1 strip of cheese OR 2 tablespoons of beans and 1 strip of chipotle
• Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling. Make sure they overlap slightly for a secure closure
• Fold the narrow end of husk over
• Tie with a strip of husk to secure
• Repeat until all of the husks are filled and secured 

Pro tip: Treat your spoon like a paint brush and your filling like the paint on the corn husk, put the leaf up to the light and if there are noticeable gaps on the leaf not covered by the dough then you need to cover those. In my family we don’t like to make fat tamales, so a thin even layer of dough on the leaf is optimal.

STEP 4: STEAM

Place a large steamer basket in a your stockpot over 1 in. of water. Place the tamales upright in the steamer and cover with remaining tamal leaves. Bring the water to a boil. Let them steam, covered, for 45 minutes to an hour.

Pro tip: This is a long steam, and water level will drop as the water boils off. Be sure to check on the water frequently, add more water as needed. You don’t want the pot to boil dry; this can damage the pot and makes for sad tamales. Mexican grandmas sometimes put a coin at the bottom of the pot so that it rattles when the water is getting low!

To see if they are cooked take one tamal out let it cool for 5-10 minutes and if the dough peels away cleanly from the leaf its ready, if the dough is still soft steam for another 15-20 minutes.

Tamales of the variety that we’ve just made can be served with salsa on top or sour cream, you can also enjoy these for breakfast with a fried egg on top!

To reheat them, place them in a plate still wrapped in their corn husk in and microwave for 2-3 minutes or take them out of their corn husk and lightly fry them on a pan, they will develop a crunchy exterior!

Pro tip: Uncooked tamales can be frozen for later, just be sure to pack them tightly in freezer bags before freezing. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then steam for for 45 minutes to an hour.

Since viceregal times, in New Spain milk sweets based on the Iberian tradition have been made. This was thanks to the easy adaptation and proliferation of goats and the difficult coupling of cattle.

At first, it was in the "Bajío" region, as well as in the old "Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Celaya" that the use of goat's milk was substituted in the original recipes that were based on cow's milk. This resulted in a recipe and a different sweet that acquired the name "cajeta" due to the wooden boxes in which it was originally stored.

"Mexico is the only place in the world where there is cajeta made with goat's milk."

As is the Catholic tradition, holy week requires us to cleanse our body & soul by abstaining from red meats, we Mexicans then follow a mostly pescatarian or vegetarian diet for the season, here are some ideas to inspire you for on this holy season.

1. Baja Fish or Shrimp Tacos

These beer-battered fish tacos are served just how we remember them from childhood, with the tangy crema, vinegary jalapeños and amazing tortillas it will immediately transport you to the magical beaches of my dearest Baja. For the recipe you can use any type of white flaky fish, cod stands up well to frying but halibut is our favorite. You can also try it with shrimp! For vegetarians you can also replace this with banana blossom or jackfruit which are known to be the best options for replacing fish in this occasion. Find the recipe on by clicking on this link.

2. Vegetarian Green Pozole

Tortillas, the staple in every Mexican table, they breathe life into Mexican dishes, accompany through all our happiness and sorrys. They never disappoint, especially homemade tortillas, when they puff up perfectly in a heated comal. Here is the mother of all recipes, because every Mexican dish starts with a tortilla, so we will call it Masa Madre! Here is the true and tested way to make masa for corn tortillas, sopes, gorditas, empanadas, chochoyotes (don't worry we'll get to those too), and of course a Christmas specialty the tamales, its easy, its versatile and we can't live without it!

Pibil is such a mouth watering word for us Mexicans, we immediately transport ourselves to the beautiful Yucatán Peninsula, where this dish originated, also one of Mexico's most important cuisines, known for its assertive, pungent flavors. Pibil traditionally involves centuries-old traditional methods of cooking which include digging underground pits known as pib in the Mayan language, and burying a full pig wrapped in layers and layers of banana leaves, spices and achiote paste goodness.

Unfortunately we don't all have the privilege of being in the beaches of the Yucatan enjoying a traditionally made pibil, but we do have most everything we need for this Pibil Rapidín recipe below, it can be made with any regular chicken as well as with turkey leftovers from Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 5 people

1/4 red onion

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1/3 tsp kosher or sea salt

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons canola or sunflower oil

1/4 cup grapefruit juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup cane sugar vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons achiote paste

6 cups cooked shredded chicken, leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken

Picked Purple Onions with cane sugar vinegar (for serving)

Shredded Cabbage (for serving)

Warmed Komali Tortillas (for serving)

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler. Line small baking sheet or roasting pan with foil and place the tomatoes, onion and garlic cloves on the foil, set the broiler, 3 to 4 inches from the heat, broil for 4-5 minutes, until charred on one side. Flip over and broil for another 4-5 minutes, until the skin is blistered and completely charred; the tomatoes should be very soft with the juices beginning to seep out. Remove from the heat.

2. Once everything is cool to handle, quarter the tomatoes and place in a blender, with the juices in the pan. Peel the garlic cloves and add to blender, add the onion, salt and 1 cup of the broth, puree until smooth.

3. In a casserole or soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Pour in the puree, stir occasionally for 7-8 min, until it thickens and darkens considerably.

4. Meanwhile, combine grapefruit, orange and lime juice with vinegar, oregano, allspice, cumin, pepper to taste, achiote paste, and remaining 1 cup of broth in the blender and puree until smooth.

5. Stir the juice mixture into the tomato sauce, bring to a simmer for 5 min

6. Add the chicken, stir together and cook uncover until the meat has absorbed most of the sauce about 5 min, the dish should be very moist but not soupy.

7. Serve the Pibil with a side of lime, pickled purple onions and cabbage, make into tacos, or serve with rice or for quesadillas with our homemade flour tortillas!

Recipe Courtesy of “Mexican Today” Cookbook.

*All products available for purchase are tagged in the recipe.

#PibilRapidito #LeftoverIdeas #Everythingbutthekitchensink #EasyRecipes #RecipeoftheWeek

Because we know you can't get enough of our sweetness, here we have one of our favorite savory sweet tamales with quince paste and in ode to our host country of Portugal, we will use a very traditional sheep's cheese called queijo de azeitaõ.

Pozole is one of Mexico's most famous meals in a bowl, it's a favorite for the holidays, and any kind of parties! And as many party dishes conveniently its even better when prepared a day ahead, allowing you to sit, relax and enjoy your friends and family while the pozole simmers in the stove ready to serve.

 You can make it with chicken or pork or both, as well as white, green or red, the colors of our beautiful flag :) why it's also a dish that is served for our Fiestas Patrias, the 16th of September, contrary to popular belief not on the 5th of May. So now you can make your own pozole for your special celebrations, because pozole means sharing, happiness, laughter and of course lots of compliments after dinner!

Rompope is a custardy mixture of eggs, milk, sugar and alcohol (usually a sugarcane alcohol or rum), basically the Mexican equivalent of the American eggnog but better!

The most famous Rompope is made by the nuns or monjas of the Santa Clara Convent in Puebla, because in addition to evangelizing the local population, nuns in convents all over Mexico made the most delicious sweets, mixing European techniques with Mexican ingredients. Convent kitchens were bustling with activity the nuns usually competed with one another for culinary prestige!

As we are in the festive spirit, we hope you enjoy your drink with history!

Ingredients

Serves 10 to 12

6 cups of milk

3 whole cloves

1 stick of cinnamon

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1 tsp Mexican vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/3 cup sugar

12 large egg yolks

3/4 pure sugarcane alcohol like rum, cachaça, brandy or grog to taste

Directions

Combine the milk, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and baking soda in a large saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 - 20 min. Remove from heat, add the sugar but don't stir, allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes.

When it comes to pozole, many people choose a side—Team Rojo, Team Verde, Team Blanco. But this vegetarian mushroom number is so good, it just might inspire a defection.

Mole sauce, the epitome of Mexican food, is made from chilli peppers, cocoa and corn, and was already used before the colonial period as a filling for tortillas served at important meals. The name mole is derived from chilmolli in nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, the word chil meaning chilli pepper and molli sauce or ragout.

Although the origin of the most widely known mole, mole poblano, made from chilli peppers and bitter cocoa, is disputed. It is said that a nun at the Santa Rosa convent in Puebla may have invented the recipe in the 17th century, when she heard of the impending visit of the Viceroy of New Spain. To honour her guest, she emptied the larder, mixing indigenous ingredients (chilli peppers, tomatoes, cocoa, etc.) with products introduced by the conquistadors (onions, garlic, almonds, cloves, cinnamon), and voila mole was created!

This is one of the easiest Mole Poblano recipes we have found, as making this dish can sometimes be an elaborate affair, but you absolutely won't regret it, the taste and smells that will be created in your kitchen will be enough to inspire many mole evenings in your house!

Ingredients

Serves 5-6 people

10 ancho peppers

7 pasilla peppers

4 morita chilies

2  guajillo chilies

1/2 onion

2 garlic

3 tomatoes

2 cinnamon sticks

50 grams of almonds

3 cloves

1 pinch of cumin

1 plantain

1 liter of water

100 grams of raisin

100 grams of peanut

1 corn tortilla

1/4 of cup of oil

5 pieces of chicken

5 cups of rice

1 pinch of pepper

100 grams of chocolate Mexicano

Plus more corn tortillas for serving

Directions

1. Cook the chicken with garlic and onion water, can be swapped out for roasted veggies. Reserve the broth. Clean the chiles, remove the tails and seeds and roast them in a frying pan without oil, being careful not to burn them.

2. Now repeat the procedure with the other ingredients and grind the chilies with the tomato, onion and garlic adding a little broth.

And separately grind the rest. In a saucepan add both mixtures, add broth as needed.

3. Add the chocolate and don't stop moving. Cook for 45 minutes before adding the chicken, then let it boil for 20 more minutes. Serve and accompany with rice or tortillas.

#CasaMexicoRecipes #CasaMexicoBlog #MolePoblano #MoleMexicano #MoleRecipes

This particular recipe is so easy to prepare, and the spicy-sweet flavor combination makes the wings completely irresistible.

The yogurt preserves perfectly balance between the spicy heat of the Guajillo and chile de árbol. This is a perfect recipe for dinner time, or just relaxing and watching your favourite show.

Serving: 2

Hot level: Low

1/2 cup of Valentina

1/2 cup of Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Black pepper to taste

Marjoram to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Salt to taste