This year I was inspired to make tamales. It started at Thankgiving with making a cut up turkey for that purpose. Then I had second thoughts and tried a lot of tamales until deciding only my sauce and masa would do this year.
I am including the small batch recipe I created while visiting Boston over the holidays about 2004. It can be a forgiving recipe and each person adapts it to their taste with time. If making more than you can eat in a few days freeze them when just made. Also if making double batches. I found freezing the raw tamales in a bag the shape of the pot to be used to cook them in works very well. I did that when I was more zealous as well as during my bakery deli days. I like tamales as a quick luch or snack and pack them in 2's for freezing, they microwave well. To heat up steam, or in the microwave. I generally sprinkle a little water on the husk. I thnk it is imporatnt to note that I do not come from a tradition of putting sauces on tamales. I do use syrup with the sweet ones and those are made very seldom. My sweet ones have anise, almonds, and raisins and the syrup is anise and piloncillo. This recipe will not be in my Abuelita cookbook as my mom, aunt, and grandmothers all bought their tamales from the Nuns of Perpetual Adoration, a cloister near their homes. Plus my dad's parents were too busy sourcing all of West Texas and New Mexico with Bunuelos for Christmas and New Year.
I am including the small batch recipe I created while visiting Boston over the holidays about 2004. It can be a forgiving recipe and each person adapts it to their taste with time. If making more than you can eat in a few days freeze them when just made. Also if making double batches. I found freezing the raw tamales in a bag the shape of the pot to be used to cook them in works very well. I did that when I was more zealous as well as during my bakery deli days. I like tamales as a quick luch or snack and pack them in 2's for freezing, they microwave well. To heat up steam, or in the microwave. I generally sprinkle a little water on the husk. I thnk it is imporatnt to note that I do not come from a tradition of putting sauces on tamales. I do use syrup with the sweet ones and those are made very seldom. My sweet ones have anise, almonds, and raisins and the syrup is anise and piloncillo. This recipe will not be in my Abuelita cookbook as my mom, aunt, and grandmothers all bought their tamales from the Nuns of Perpetual Adoration, a cloister near their homes. Plus my dad's parents were too busy sourcing all of West Texas and New Mexico with Bunuelos for Christmas and New Year.
| tamales_small_batch_rev2021.pdf |
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