Vegetarian Tamales
Source: Olivia Mecalco, Mi Comedor
Recipe Type: Entrees | Seasons: Autumn, Winter
This recipe was demonstrated at the Foodwise Classroom on October 29, 2022.
Makes 10 tamales
INGREDIENTS
4 green tomatoes
3 serrano chiles
¼ onion
1 clove of garlic
1 cup of oyster mushrooms, sautéed and shredded
½ cup of vegetable shortening
1 tbsp of salt
1 tbsp of baking powder
500 g of masa
10 corn husks, soaked in hot water for at least 30 min, and then patted dry
PREPARATION
To make the filling, add the tomatoes and chiles to a pot and barely cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and cook until softened, about 5 min.
Remove the cooked tomatoes and chiles and add to blender with onion, garlic, ¼ cup of water used to cook the vegetables, and pinch of salt to taste. Blend until smooth.
Add mixture to bowl and mix in mushrooms. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add the vegetable shortening and mix until smooth. Add the baking powder, salt, and a little of the masa bit by bit until well mixture is well incorporated.
To assemble the tamales, lay the corn husks flat, with smooth side up and the narrow end facing away from you. With wet hands, spread a ¼ in layer of the masa mixture in a roughly rectangular shape on the bottom right side of the husk, leaving about 4 inches from the narrow end and 4 inches from the long left side.
Spread a few spoonfuls of filling down the center of the masa, leaving about an inch of dough around each side.
Fold up the tamale by folding the right side toward the left, sealing the filling into the masa dough. Fold the left side of the husk on top and then fold the narrow end toward you.
Steam for about 1.5 hours until the masa dough is cooked and does not stick to the husks.
