Tamales. For those that have been following this blog for a while you will already know my love of Mexican Food and my soft spot for fragrant, steamy, carb loaded tamales! My first ever tamale experience was on a road trip and a hastened ready meal by Amy’s Kitchen. I then blazingly stalked La Guera Tamalera for her amazing tamales when I visited Los Angeles. I even managed to find vegan tamales when I was in travelling in Mexico. I’ve been making my own tamales ever since. Whenever I can get my hands on corn husks. Or I just use organic non-bleached parchment paper if I am really desperate for a tamale fix.
It was on my travels in Mexico that I discovered huitlacoche, a corn fungus (stick with me!) whilst at a farmers market in Oaxaca. Mesmerised I watched the deft hands of a beautiful Mexcian woman form a ball of pale corn dough into tortillas and then with one hand slap them onto a pale earthware, drum shaped griddle. A comal. Fired from underneath, a traditional Mexican cooking method as old as time. The smells that rose from the hot surface were intoxicating. My two months of Spanish lessons taken whilst in Argentina and followed up in Mexico (since forgotten by lack of use) paid off and I was able to string the words together to enquire if she could feed a hungry vegan. A passing American expat saved me when she scooped up a mass of a shining black ingredient. She passed a spoon in front of my nose, spoke a word I did not understand. ‘It’s corn fungus..nothing to alarm you. Delicious. Try it’. The tanned Texan said, encouragingly. The woman spooned sautéed spinach, the exotic corn fungus (known as huitlacoche) and decanted vibrant green salsa onto two tortillas with a flourish. A minute to warm it through and it was wrapped and handed to me with a smile. It cost barely anything.
I sat at a long communal table under the shade of a tree and experienced corn fungus for the very first time. It tasted faintly of corn, and mushrooms, but with a mildly tart, earthy flavour note completely new to me. After a split second..I was hooked.
I hope you can buy huitlacoche where you live. The flavor is perfect nestled inside warm, fluffy, steamed masa dough. If not, there are substitutions listed for you below.
Vegan Tamales
For the vegan tamales recipe you will need;
3 cups masa flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (gluten free it that’s appropriate for you)
1 teaspoon Himalayn salt
4 tbs coconut oil, melted
2 cups of water (approx…gradually add and just use enough to make a dough)
1 package dried corn husks
For the filling
1 can huitlacoche - if you are unable to obtain this where you live then substitute with crimini, portabello or shiitake mushrooms
2- 3 pinches of chilli flakes
salt & pepper as needed. The huitlacoche is salted but you may wish to add a little more.
optional - spinach or kale sautéed in olive oil and garlic
Method
Whilst your corn husks are soaking in hot water for 30 mins (use a large pan and use a lid to hold them under water), prepare your masa dough.
Mix the flour with the melted coconut oil, salt and baking powder. Add water.
Spread the masa dough onto the soaked corn husks. Place a line of your filling into the centre.
Bring the sides of the husks together, gently rolling the dough to enclose the filling. Use the husks to gently squeeze and roll, making a seal. Fold the top and bottom of the husks over to close. Tie with torn strips of the husk (easier said than done) or string. Or just fold and gently place in the steaming basket. When all jostled together the tamales will not really need tying. And anyway, I can never get the husk string to hold. Something I still need to learn!
Use a steaming basked in a large pan. Have about 2 inches of water in the bottom. Make sure it doesn’t rise above the steamer basket. Keep an eye on the water level. Steam for about 35-40 mins. Leave to cool slightly before serving as they will of course be hot to handle.
I served these with a spicy guava and cilantro salsa.
Let us know in the comments below how your tamales turn out!
- Vegan Tamales
- For the vegan tamales recipe you will need;
- 3 cups masa flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (gluten free it that's appropriate for you)
- 1 teaspoon Himalayn salt
- 4 tbs coconut oil, melted
- 2 cups of water (approx...gradually add and just use enough to make a dough)
- 1 package dried corn husks
- For the filling
- 1 can huitlacoche - if you are unable to obtain this where you live then substitute with crimini, portabello or shiitake mushrooms
- 2- 3 pinches of chilli flakes
- salt & pepper as needed. The huitlacoche is salted but you may wish to add a little more.
- optional - spinach or kale sautéed in olive oil and garlic
- Whilst your corn husks are soaking in hot water for 30 mins (use a large pan and use a lid to hold them under water), prepare your masa dough.
- Mix the flour with the melted coconut oil, salt and baking powder. Add water.
- Spread the masa dough onto the soaked corn husks. Place a line of your filling into the centre.
- Bring the sides of the husks together, gently rolling the dough to enclose the filling. Use the husks to gently squeeze and roll, making a seal. Fold the top and bottom of the husks over to close. Tie with torn strips of the husk (easier said than done) or string. Or just fold and gently place in the steaming basket. When all jostled together the tamales will not really need tying. And anyway, I can never get the husk string to hold. Something I still need to learn!
- Use a steaming basked in a large pan. Have about 2 inches of water in the bottom. Make sure it doesn't rise above the steamer basket. Keep an eye on the water level. Steam for about 35-40 mins. Leave to cool slightly before serving as they will of course be hot to handle.
- I served these with a spicy guava and cilantro salsa.
I didn’t know what a tamale was until I had it at one vegan event. Oh my goodness!!! So delicious… They look quite easy too make too!