Jalisco-Style Chicken Tamales

Method15 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Whisk all the masa harina, baking powder (2 tsp) and the separate 1 tsp dough salt together in a bowl. Keep this dry mixture ready for the mixer.

   Uses 3½ cups (326 g) masa harina · 2 tsp baking powder · 1 tsp salt for the dough

2. 2

   Step 2: Using a paddle attachment, beat all the lard on high for about 1–2 minutes until very light. Reduce the speed and alternate additions of all the prepared dry mixture and all the chicken broth, scraping the bowl as needed. Once everything is incorporated, beat on medium for about 4–8 minutes until evenly mixed, very fluffy and aerated.

   Uses All the prepared dry mixture · 1 cup (184 g) lard · 3¼ cups (738 g) prepared chicken broth

3. 3

   Step 3: Put the measured cup of cold water (1 cup) in a small bowl and drop in ½ tsp of the prepared dough. Floating dough is ready; if it sinks, beat the remaining dough a little longer and test again. Discard the test water and samples, and hold the remaining aerated dough for assembly.

   Uses A ½ tsp test sample and the remaining dough held for assembly · 1 cup cold water for the dough flotation test, discarded afterward

4. 4

   Step 4: Wash the fresh poblanos and tomatoes. Put them on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for about 8–10 minutes, turning a couple of times, until charred, softened and wrinkled. Remove the sheet from the broiler, keeping the tomatoes and all their juices for chopping.

   Uses 3 poblano chiles · 1 lb fresh ripe tomatoes · Water for washing the fresh poblanos and tomatoes

5. 5

   Step 5: Enclose the charred poblanos in a suitable food-safe bag or covered bowl and leave them to sweat for at least 10 minutes, up to 2 hours. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skin in a bowl of water or under a gentle stream. Remove the stems and seeds, then cut the flesh into strips about 1 inch long and ¼ inch wide. Hold the strips ready for the filling.

   First check of the sweating poblanos · 10 minUses All three charred poblanos, separate from the held tomatoes · Water for peeling the charred poblanos

6. 6

   Step 6: Chop the held broiled tomatoes into approximately ½-inch pieces, retaining their skins, seeds and all collected juices. Have the measured chopped onion, garlic, olives, capers, jalapeños and crushed clove tops ready before heating the skillet.

   Uses All the held broiled tomatoes and juices, separate from the poblanos

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat all the vegetable oil (2 tbsp) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the prepared chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent.

   Soften the chopped onion · 5 minUses 2 tbsp vegetable oil · ½ cup (71 g) chopped white onion

8. 8

   Step 8: Stir all the prepared garlic into the softened onion. Cook for about 1–2 minutes, checking from 1 minute, until fragrant without burning.

   Check the fragrant garlic · 1 minUses All the softened onion and its pan oil · 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

9. 9

   Step 9: Add all the prepared tomatoes and juices, ground cumin (¼ tsp), crushed clove (4) tops and the separate ½ tsp filling salt. Cook for about 3–4 minutes, checking from 3 minutes, until the sauce is dark red and thickened.

   Check the thickened tomato filling base · 3 minUses All the prepared aromatic pan · All the prepared tomatoes and collected juices · ¼ tsp ground cumin · 4 whole cloves, stems removed and tops crushed · ½ tsp salt for the filling

10. 10

    Step 10: Stir all the prepared poblano strips, olives, capers, pickled jalapeños (¼ cup) and ready-cooked shredded chicken into the thickened tomato base. Cook for about 5 minutes until evenly combined and thoroughly hot; check the filling reaches 74°C / 165°F throughout, continuing if needed. Take the filling off the heat and hold it for assembly.

    Heat the complete chicken filling · 5 minUses All the prepared tomato base · All the prepared poblano strips · ½ cup (70 g) chopped pimento-stuffed manzanilla olives · ¼ cup (46 g) coarsely chopped capers · ¼ cup diced pickled jalapeños · 3 cups (330 g) ready-cooked shredded chicken

11. 11

    Step 11: Soak all 30–36 dried corn husks in enough hot water to immerse them for at least 10 minutes, continuing until soft and pliable. Drain them, reserving the soaked husks for both wrapping and lining the steamer.

    First check of the soaking corn husks · 10 minUses 30–36 dried corn husks for wrapping and lining the steamer · Hot water for soaking all 30–36 dried corn husks

12. 12

    Step 12: Lay one soaked husk with its tapered end toward you. Spread about ¼ cup prepared dough (approximately 50 g) into a roughly 3-by-5-inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick, leaving at least ½ inch at both sides and 1 inch at the tapered bottom. Place about 2 tbsp prepared filling (approximately 40 g) down the middle, retaining the remaining dough, filling and soaked husks for the rest of the batch.

    Uses One soaked husk for the first tamal · About ¼ cup dough for one tamal, with the rest reserved · About 2 tbsp filling for one tamal, with the rest reserved

13. 13

    Step 13: Bring the husk’s long sides together around the dough and filling. Fold those sides together to one side, wrap them around the tamal, and fold the empty tapered bottom upward, leaving the top open. Stand it upright, open end up. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, keeping extra soaked husks for lining, supporting and covering the steamer; the batch makes about 16 tamales.

    Uses The first filled husk · Remaining dough for repeating the tamales · Remaining filling for repeating the tamales · Remaining soaked husks for wrapping and steamer lining

14. 14

    Step 14: Fill the steamer with water just below the basket and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Line the basket with extra soaked husks. Stand the assembled tamales upright with open ends facing up; fill gaps with more soaked husks so they cannot topple, then cover them with soaked husks and the steamer lid. Once steady steam is established, steam for about 1 hour, maintaining the water level without letting the basket sit in water.

    Steam the assembled tamales · 60 minUses All assembled tamales, separate from extra unused husks or filling · Extra soaked husks for lining, supporting and covering the tamales · Water just below the steamer basket, maintained as needed

15. 15

    Step 15: Turn off the heat and leave the tamales in the steamer for at least 10 minutes to settle. Unwrap one: the dough should release easily from its husk and the centre should be thoroughly hot. If it still sticks, steam again and check at 5-minute intervals until it releases. Serve warm, removing the husks before eating, and refrigerate unserved tamales promptly.

    Let the steamed tamales settle · 10 minUses The steamed tamales lifted from the steamer water and lining husks