¿Como hacer Tamales Navideños de Costa Rica? facil receta

masa harina

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: cornmeal

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

pork

🥗Healthier: turkey

💰Cheaper: chicken

Turkey is leaner and healthier, while chicken is more affordable.

banana leaves

🥗Healthier: parchment paper

💰Cheaper: aluminum foil

Parchment paper is easier to find, and aluminum foil is often more accessible.

Cook pork in a pot on low heat for about 5 hours until tender.

Shred the cooked pork and set aside.

Clean the banana leaves by washing them on both sides and cutting them into rectangles approximately 1.5 feet in size.

Prepare the masa by mixing it with the reserved broth and the fat from the pork until a smooth dough forms.

Add more broth as needed to achieve a soft consistency for the masa.

Stir the masa continuously for about 15-20 minutes over medium heat to prevent burning and achieve a homogeneous texture.

Assemble the tamales by placing a portion of masa in the center of a banana leaf, adding the shredded pork and vegetables on top, and folding the leaf over to secure the filling.

Repeat the assembly process until all ingredients are used up.

Steam the tamales in a large steamer for about 1-1.5 hours until the masa is firm.

Let the tamales rest for a few minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: