How to Make Tamales Yucatecos

lard

🥗Healthier: vegetable shortening

💰Cheaper: butter

Vegetable shortening is lower in saturated fat.

green olives

🥗Healthier: kalamata olives

💰Cheaper: black olives

Black olives are often less expensive.

masa harina

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: cornmeal

Cornmeal can be a more affordable substitute.

pork

🥗Healthier: chicken breast

💰Cheaper: ground turkey

Ground turkey is typically cheaper than pork.

Introduce the recipe for Tamales Yucatecos and mention that it contains red masa filled with chicken and pork, steamed in banana leaves.

Prepare the chicken by seasoning it with black pepper, salt, onion, garlic, and achiote paste, then cook it.

Grill the onion and garlic to enhance the flavor before adding them to the chicken.

Dissolve the achiote paste in water and add it to the chicken mixture.

Fry the achiote seeds in corn oil until the oil turns red, being careful not to burn the seeds.

Mix masa harina with flour, salt, and water to form a dough before adding the cooled oil.

Strain the chicken broth to remove any solid pieces and use it for the filling.

Sauté onion and tomatoes in a bit of oil for the filling, then thicken the chicken broth with corn masa and water.

Pull the cooked chicken meat from the bones and shred it into small pieces.

Prepare banana leaves by cutting them into rectangles and cleaning them before use.

Build the tamales by spreading masa on the banana leaves, adding the chicken filling, and folding them.

Place the tamales in a steamer with water, cover, and steam for 1.5 hours.

Check the tamales after steaming, being cautious of the steam when opening the steamer.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary