Marnie's Excellent Tamales
| Category | Main dish
|
| Classification | Mexican-Vegetarian |
| Added By |
Phyllis Watson |
| Added On | |
| Prep Time | no idea |
| Yield | 12-14 tamales |
| Source | Marnie |
| Comment | yumminess |
Ingredients
- Filling:1 package tempeh
- handful of raisins
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 8 dried whole chipotles
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chile paste see below (Voluptuous Vegan, p 56)
- 3 minced cloves garlic
- Tamales: recipe from the Voluptuous Vegan p 86
- 1 cup dried hominy, soaked overnight or use quick-soak method(cover with water, boil, sit 2-3 hours)
- 6 cups water
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil (cold-pressed)
- 2 halved, thinly sliced onions (2 cups)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup masa harina
- 1 2-ounce package corn husks
- Chili Paste recipe from the Voluptuous V
- 1 dried ancho chili (you can use a mulato instead)
- 1 dried pasilla chili (you may use a guajillo or New Mexican chili)
- 3 dried chipotle chilis
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- pinch of salt
Directions
Filling directions:
Cube and steam 1 package of tempeh. Marinate for 20 minutes in shallow baking dish, along with the raisins, olive oil, chipotles, tamarind concentrate, water, mirin, onion, vinegar, chili paste and garlic cloves.
Bake until almost all the liquid is gone. Mash well.
Tamale directions:
Drain the soaked hominy and place in a medium saucepan. Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook, partially covered about 1 1/2 hours or until the hominy is just soft. Keep an eye on the water level, adding water if necessary to keep the hominy covered. Drain the hominy when soft, reserving the cooking liquid. Some of the hominy will open up like popcorn. Do not overcook it to the point where it becomes mushy.
In a medium skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are very soft. Set aside.
Soak the corn husks in warm water for 15 minutes. Pull them apart as they become supple and keep submerged.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the drained hominy, 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the 1/4 cup canola oil, and the salt. Process, scraping down the sides, until thick and creamy. You will have to run the processor for a good few minutes. Be sure to blend the ingredients while warm for the smoothest consistency. Then add the onions and process again, until they are well integrated into the puree.
Transfer the puree into a mixing bowl. Add the masa harina and mix it thoroughly into the batter.
Form the tamales and place 1 tablespoon filling in each. Stack the tamales in a steamer or in a large pot with a steamer insert. Steam for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check the water level in your steamer every 20 minutes and add water to the steamer if needed, making sure not to let the water evaporate.
Open up a tamale to check it. Tamales should hold together in a solid form. Their surface should take on the striations of the husks. Let the tamales sit for a few minutes to firm up. You can reheat tamales by steaming them.
Chili paste directions:
This stays good for weeks refrigerated - for spreading consistency use only the liquid as necessary.
Remove the stems and seeds from all the chiles. Place in a small saucepan, cover with water, and and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the chiles sit in the hot liquid for about 15 minutes, or until softened. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid.
Tranfer the chiles to a blender, Add 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid and the olive oil, vinegar, and salt, Puree until smooth.
This recipe is served by Marnie with Black Beans with Epazote from the Voluptuous Vegan p 89 and a Pumpkin Seed Mole from Vegetarian Southwest. These are entered in the Recipe Index separately.
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