Making and Buying Green Corn Tamales
Green corn tamales originated in the tradition of Tucson, Arizona Mexican food dining. It is served in nearly every Mexican restaurant in the area. But not all green corn tamales are the same!
T ucson, AZ., located deep in the desert of the Southwest USA, is home to many fine traditional foods. The chimichanga is another exquisite Mexican delicacy developed in Tucson to be covered in another topic.
Some of the most well know Tucson restaurants that sells delicious green corn tamales is Lerua's Fine Mexican Foods on Broadway, Casa Molina and El Dorado Restaurant. Taco stands also carry tastey varieties of the tamale.
The tamal
Tamal is the proper name for a single tamale. The base of any good tamale, taco, burrito, burro or chimi is the tortillla. This type of tortilla (pronounced: tor-tee-a) is made from masa.
Masa is basically corn dough. Usually it is made from grounded corn that is heated, soaked, drained and grounded. Depending on the recipe, water, broth, milk, salt and some type of fats are added.
Fillings include green corn, beef or pork. But, just about anything an be added. Tamales can also be made with chicken, pumpkin, squash, or even fruits (sweet tamales dulces). Read more about tamales.
Tamale history
The history of the tamale is well rooted in Mexico. The tamale was a favorite food long before the arrival of Columbus to Mexico. Tamales are a staple dinner items in both Mexican and American dining tables. In the Southwest, tamales are found in the supermarkets along side frozen chimis, enchiladas and pre-made tacos.
Eating green corn tamales
Two hot tamales are better than one. Most people eat two or more at a time. Homemade tamales are common in many local Mexican restaurants and street cart vendors. They are easy to eat, not messy and one can never have too many tamales!
At Christmas time, tamales are a cultural staple. The type of tamales often eaten are called "red tamales," made of shredded beef, red chile and wrapped in a corn husk. Red beef tamales are found all year round and are a popular "hand food" on the run.
While beef tamales are a favorite, chicken and vegetarian tamales are growing in popularity. Some restaurants feature chicken instead of beef choices on their menus. In Tucson, a tamale can be bought for about $2-4 each, depending on the restaurant and the size.
Books about Tucson Mexican restaurants and tamales from amazon.com
El Charro Picante Verde Salsa (Hot)
Authentic salsa from El Charro Cafe in Tucson, AZ.
Ingredients: Crushed tomatillos (tomatillos, citric acid), water, salsa (onions, salt, garlic, white vinegar, canola oil, oregano), citric acid. Hot. 13 oz. Purchase El Charro salsa online: More El Charro Salsas
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 El Charro Cafe:
The Tastes and Traditions of Tucson
Carlotta Flores; Hardcover
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 Tamales
Mark Miller; Hardcover
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 Tamales 101: A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales
Alice Guadalupe Tapp; Paperback
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 Cooking with Too Hot Tamales : Recipes & Tips From TV Food's Spiciest Cooking Duo
Mary S. Milliken; Hardcover
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2007 EMOL.org Entertainment Magazine On Line. All rights reserved.
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Green Corn Tamales Kits From amazon.com Marketplace
Everything you need to make authentic meat tamales. Tamale recipe included.
You Will Need: 4 lbs. Pork (Shanks or Shoulder) or beef (chunks for stew, or chicken breast. One-half onion, 7 lbs prepared masa, salt to taste. This recipe makes 4 dozen tamales.
Step 1- Preparing the Meat: Place meat, bay leaves, granulated garlic, salt to taste, and onion (cut in 4 pieces) into pot and add enough water to just cover the meat and ingredients. Cook meat and spices until tender. When done, remove and shred meat. Set aside 3 to 4 cups of the broth and bay leaves for preparing the chilies.
Step 2 - Preparing the Corn Husks: Soak corn husks for 30 minutes to 1 hour unit flexible.
Step 3 - Preparing the Chili Sauce: Place the New Mexico Chilies and Pasilla Ancho Chilies in a separate pot. Add Chile De Arbol for heat as desired. Cover chilies with water and bring to boil. Drain chilies and remove stem and seeds. Place the chilies in a blender.
From step 1, use the 3 to 4 cups of both with bay leaves, add cumin and puree. Add the shredded meat and the chile sauce in a pot and cook. Remove from heat when sauce has thickened. Meat and the chili sauce.
Step 4 - Preparing the Tamales in the Corn Husks: Gently remove the husks and individually spread one corn husk Place two tablespoons of masa flour into the center of the husks.
Using a spoon, flatten the masa and spread evenly around the husks until is about 4.5 square inches. Spread 1-2 rounded teaspoons of meat sauce in the center of the masa and fold the husks and the masa. Allow the masa to completely surround the meat sauce.
Fold the bottom of the husk up and place in a steamer pot open end up. Place lid on the pot and steams tamales for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Tamales are done when the masa easily separated from the husks.
Shipping Weight: 6.1 pound. 12 Ounce Unit (Pack of 6)
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Maseca Corn Masa Mix for Tamales
4.4 pounds. Instant Corn Masa mix to prepare tamale dough for making Mexican tamales. (Masa harina for tamales). Only $3.40 for 4.4 lbs.
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Vegetarian Sampler
Delicious Taste You Can Count On. A Nice Assortment of Mouth Watering Mexican Flavors. Includes 2 Dozen Tamales! Each Different Flavorful Recipe is Packaged by the Half Dozen. From Hot Damn, Tamales! draws a big crowd: The Today Show, Southern Living Magazine, In Style Magazine, Texas Monthly, and the New York Times.
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Too Many Tamales
Maria is feeling so grown-up, wearing her mother's apron and helping to knead the masa for the Christmas corn tamales. Her mother even let Maria wear some perfume and lipstick for the big family celebration that evening. When her mother takes off her diamond ring so it won't become coated with the messy masa, Maria decides that life would be perfect if she could wear the ring, too. Trouble begins when she sneakily slips the sparkly ring on her thumb and resumes her kneading. Uh oh. It is not until later that night, after all the tamales have been cooked and after all her cousins and relatives have arrived, that Maria suddenly realizes what must have happened to the precious ring. Ed Martinez's warm oil paintings celebrate the riches of South American Christmas colors--adobe reds, dusty gold, lacey whites, and rain-forest greens. Martinez also has a gift for capturing children's animated expressions, especially when Maria begs her cousins to help her find the missing ring by secretly eating the enormous stack of steaming tamales! Gary Soto's delightful Christmas-spirit closure will relieve young readers who empathize with the negligent Maria. Grown-ups, too, will appreciate this playful reminder about the virtues of forgiveness and family togetherness. (Ages 4 and older) --Gail Hudson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Tucson's Mexican Restaurants: Repasts, Recipes, and Remembrances
Suzanne Myal; Paperback
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