Making and Buying Green Corn Tamales
Green corn tamales originated, here, in the tradition of Tucson, Arizona Mexican food dining. It is served in nearly every Mexican restaurant.
Tucson, AZ., located deep in the deserts 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.
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- soaked corn, cooked with lime and then grounded up.
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.
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 the main staple. They 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 $1-2 each, depending on the restaurant and the size.
It is easy to make tamales. It starts with a doughy mixture, usually based in corn, wrapped around beef or chili stripes and then wrapped in a corn husk, leaves or a banana leaf- depending on the part of Mexico they are cooked.
The green corn tamal (green, meaning "fresh") is made with fresh white corn, often mixed with cheese, then lined with a long green chile slice before it is rolled and wrapped in a husk. Then the husks are steamed.
Making tamales can be simple. Hot tamales are the best when they first come out of the steamer. But reheating frozen tamales still captures that spicy corn taste.
To make green corn tamales from scratch you need to start with actual corn, scraped from the cob (save the husks!). Grind the corn with Jack Cheese in a meat grinder, blender or food processor. Combine with lard (or substitute), cream and butter. Spread the corn mixture on each corn husk, lay a sliver of green chile down the middle (add an olive, if you like). Fold, tuck and roll.
Hot tamales can be steamed in a pressure cooker or large steaming kettle. Always pour water at the bottom of the pan about 1/2 inch deep. Steam for about 1/2 hr to and hour (depending on the method). Refrigerate for 3-4 days. If freezing the tamales, don't steam them.
We are searching for a special Tucson home cooking recipe for Mexican tamales and green corn tasmales that can be shared with the public. We also will feature some Tucson homemade green corn tamales available to be shipped anywhere in the world.
In the meantime, we offer imformative books with hot tamales recipes, real vegetarian and beef tamales made by affiliates in the Southwest US and shipped worldwide, and tamale-making kits for the ambitious.
Books about Tucson Mexican restaurants from amazon.com
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El Charro Cafe Cookbook: Flavors of Tucson from America's Oldest Family-Operated Mexican Restaurant
Jane Stern; Hardcover; Buy New: $13.99 |
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El Charro Cafe: The Tastes and Traditions of Tucson
Carlotta Flores; Hardcover; Buy New: $18.15 |
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Tucson's Mexican Restaurants: Repasts, Recipes, and RemembrancesSuzanne Myal; Paperback; Buy New: $14.95 |
Making Your Own Tamales |
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Melissa's Tamale Kit,2 kits (24 Tamales): $12.00 |
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Gourmet Texas Tamales "A la Carte"4 dozen Chicken Tamales: $60.00 |
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Hot Tamales [5LB Bag]$15.00 |
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Vegetarian Tamale SamplerBuy New: $55.75 • Delicious Taste You Can Count On Dozens of discounted tamales products from amazon.com |
Specials from MexGrocer.comThe Deluxe Tamale-Making Kit$19.95 USD Everything you need to know to become an expert tamale-maker is in this gift pack. Not only will you get authentic corn husks and masa, but you'll receive a copy of the rauthentic recipe provided by Maseca to make the real Tamales! There are many ways for making these different tasting tamales, and the fillings range from savory vegetarian, meat and seafood versions to sweet, fruit-filled desserts. Pinata and Candy Fiesta Package The Essential "Taste of Mexico" Sampler MexGrocer.com is a nationwide bilingual online grocery store specializing in authentic Mexican food, household products, recipes and cookbooks- over 1,000 hard to find items of imported and national leading food brands. |
Dining on Tamales
Las Vegas NV: Dona Maria Tamales Restaurant - $25 Gift Certificate: $7.50 |
Books on tamales from amazon.com
Tamales 101: A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales
Cooking with Too Hot Tamales : Recipes & Tips From TV Food's Spiciest Cooking Duo
Tamales Christmas Means Tamales: As Did Every Weekend When I Was a Kid Arthur D. Sandoval; Paperback; Buy New: $14.50 |
From amazon.com MarketplacePrice: $60.00; Sale: $52.00 Features: Pine Nut; Black Bean Chipotle; Mushroom; Squash; Red Chard; Blue Corn Herb; Goat Cheese & Red Chile Great for Parties - easy to prepare! All Vegetarian - Some Vegan - Gluten free - Wheat free - All Natural - No Additives or Preservatives Ingredients: Non GM corn masa, non GM corn, other all natural yummy ingredients that vary by flavor, aluminum free baking powder, salt. Tamale Molly Vegan Sampler - SmallPrice: $45.00
Gourmet Texas Tamales "A la Carte"4 dozen Sampler Pack Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days from Texas Tamale Company |
