TAMALES | Bean And Cheese Tamales Recipe | How To Make Tamales EASY

cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: cream cheese

Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

masa harina

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour offers more fiber.

black beans

🥗Healthier: pinto beans

💰Cheaper: canned beans

Canned beans save time and are often cheaper.

vegetable broth

🥗Healthier: homemade broth

💰Cheaper: water

Using water is cost-effective and still provides moisture.

Start by scooping 5 cups of drained beans into a bowl.

Add 1.5 to 2 cups of bean broth or juice to the beans and puree until smooth.

In a preheated pan with oil, add the bean puree and season with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper to taste.

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat with a lid until it thickens to a paste-like consistency, then cool completely.

In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of instant corn flour, 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1.5 teaspoons of salt, and mix well.

Add 1 cup of softened vegetable shortening to the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.

Gradually add 3.5 cups of warm chicken broth (made by dissolving 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon in hot water) and mix well for 5-10 minutes until fluffy.

Cover the masa mixture and set aside.

Clean and separate 50 corn husks, then boil them in water for about 30 minutes until softened.

Prepare the filling: take a corn husk, spread masa on the smooth side, leaving space at the top.

Add a spoonful of the cooled bean puree and a strip of pepper jack cheese on top of the masa.

Fold the sides of the corn husk over the filling, then fold up the bottom to secure the tamale.

Repeat the process until all tamales are assembled, yielding about 41 tamales.

In a 16-quart pot, add 2-2.5 liters of water and place a steamer plate at the bottom with a heat-proof bowl flipped upside down.

Stack the tamales upright around the bowl, cover with extra corn husks, a tea cloth, and a lid.

Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a rapid simmer and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, starting the timer once boiling begins.

Check for doneness by removing a tamale; it should pull away easily from the husk. If it sticks, it needs more cooking time.

Once cooked, remove the tamales from the pot and let them rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: