There’s nothing like a homemade tamale at Christmastime (or any time of the year, for that matter) and they’re surprisingly easy to make.
In the desert Southwest, one can tell Christmas is approaching not by the scent of pine in the air, but from the mouth-watering aroma of pork shoulder or chicken thighs cozying up in a hot roasting pan with garlic, onions, cumin, Mexican oregano and fresh cilantro, and mingling with the smell of a thick batch of corn masa bubbling atop the stove like cooling volcanic lava.
These are the traditional ingredients of the tamale, a star of Hispanic culture during the holidays, with the elements varying from region to region, from Mexico to central and south America. This pocket of culinary pleasure, spicy filling wrapped and steamed in a cornmeal jacket, can be eaten handheld or on a plate, snuggling under a crazy quilt of condiments like salsa, sour cream, sliced avocado, fresh lime and hot sauce. The tamale is recorded as early as 5,000 BC in pre-Columbian history. In Nicaragua, the tamale is called nacatamal, in Guatamala, paches and chuchitos, Bolivia and Ecuador, humita, Colombia, bollo, and in Venezuela, hallaca.
After my sister in southern California tried to ship a friend’s homemade tamales to Virginia and they ended up, spoiled, on a loading dock in Philadelphia, I determined to learn how to make them, finally finding an easy recipe that I come back to repeatedly when I get a craving for a food of my childhood. These tamales are so simple and so tasty that you don’t have to wait for special occasions, a cooking marathon weekend or a trip to East L.A, to create a dozen or so. An acquaintance from Oaxaca calls them “Lazy Tamales.” They may be, but they sure are tasty.
In the ancient world, tamales could be made ahead and packed, to be warmed as needed. They were steamed, grilled on the comal over a fire or eaten cold. We have no records of which culture actually created the tamale, which caught on very fast and eventually grew in variety and diversity. Wrappings most commonly used were corn husks and banana leaves. I use sheets of foil, although corn husks are readily available at the grocery store. If using them, soak them in warm water until soft and pliable.
Easy (Lazy) Chicken Tamales
- 14 large corn husks, soaked in warm water until soft, or sheets of foil
- 2-3 lbs. Rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded, about 6 cups
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup green or black olives, or a combination, drained and chopped
- 2 cups green or red salsa
- 2 cups self-rising yellow cornmeal mix (or two boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix)
Directions:
Stir together chicken, cheese, cilantro, peas, olives and salsa in a bowl. Add the cornmeal mix and stir until combined.
Using sections of foil about six inches wide, fill lengthwise with tamale mixture and roll up like a jelly roll, closing the bottom and leaving the top open for the steam to escape while cooking. Place in steamer and steam for 25 minutes.
Carefully remove tamales from the steamer (they will be firm) and let stand for five minutes. Transfer to a platter, unroll from the foil and garnish the tamales with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with your choice of condiments and sides.
About the Writer:
Rebecca Jackson is a veteran newspaper person/journalist based in Bedford County, VA. A native of California and an M.A. graduate of Arizona State University, she has a passion for pets (animals), good food/cooking, music, wine, horticulture, photography and travel.
