uTV Exclusive Dish: Easy Homemade Tamales Recipe | Gloria Lemos’ Step-by-Step Cooking Guide | Part 2

masa harina

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: cornmeal

Whole wheat flour adds fiber while cornmeal is often less expensive.

shredded meat

🥗Healthier: tofu

💰Cheaper: canned beans

Tofu is a great plant-based protein, while canned beans are budget-friendly.

salsa

🥗Healthier: fresh tomato sauce

💰Cheaper: canned tomatoes

Fresh tomato sauce is lighter, while canned tomatoes are economical.

cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free, while cream cheese is often less costly.

Identify the rough and smooth sides of the corn husk.

Spread about 1/4 inch of masa onto the smooth side of the corn husk.

Add enough meat and some juice onto the masa, ensuring not too much juice to avoid squirting out when tying.

Sprinkle 3 or 4 raisins and 2 olives on top of the meat.

Roll up the corn husk tightly, squeezing everything inside.

Hand the rolled tamale to the next person to tie it up.

Use the pointy end of a corn husk tie to wrap around the tamale and tie a knot.

If juice oozes out, pick it up and tie another knot or use another tie if it breaks.

Set the tied tamale in a tray until full, then place them in the steamer.

Fill a 5-gallon tamale pot with water up to the indicated line and place the steamer insert at the bottom.

Add the tamales one by one, making a ring around the pot until full.

Cover the tamales with foil to help steam them.

Put the lid on the pot and place it on the burner.

Steam the tamales for 2.5 hours, turning the pot every 15 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary