REAL HOMEMADE TAMALES

REAL HOMEMADE TAMALES


TAMALE FILLING:
1-1/4 lbs. pork loin
1 large onion, halved
1 clove garlic
4 dried California Chile pods
2 cups water
1-1/2 teaspoon salt

TAMALE DOUGH:
2 cups masa harina
1 (10.5-oz.) can beef broth
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup lard
1 (8-oz.) package dried cornhusk
1 cup sour cream


Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.

Use rubber cloves to remove stems and seeds from the chile pods. Place chilies in a saucepan with 2 cups water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer chilies and water to a blender, and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in 1 cup of the chile sauce.

Soak the cornhusk in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder, and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form spongy dough.

Spread the dough out over the cornhusks to ¼ to ½-inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center. Fold the sides of the husk in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour.

Remove the tamales from the husk and drizzle remaining chile sauce over. Top with sour cream. For a creamy sauce, mix sour cream into the chile sauce.


Yield: 16 servings.