Tamales

No, we are not done with school yet!  The official date, prolonged because of the flu cancellation, is now July 10th, although I leave July 6th.  The last few weeks are becoming packed  with despedidas, last visitors to Mexico, our senior's graduation, and of course, a course in tamal-making!  Two weekends ago my colleague Lulu and her husband (who we all just call "Médico") invited several of us from work over for an afternoon of tamales.  Lulu was our maestra, since none of us had made all the varieties she had us prepare: tamales oaxaqueños, tamales de masa cocida (cooked corn), tamales de frijol, tamales de mole rojo, and tamales de mole verde.  In total, we made over 300 tamales.  You can never have too many tamales!      The last time I made tamales, I swore never to do it again, but I realized, as we cooked, stirred, folded and steamed the tamales, that the real way to make tamales is in a group.

They are incredibly simple but require a lot of time to make the fillings, prepare the masa, and assemble. But with a crew of friends, some good jokes, and maybe a few beers, the process is much more enjoyable than one person in her kitchen filling and folding dozens of corn husks!  

     A few notes on the differences between tamales:  tamales oaxaqueños use banana leaves, which we cooked before using, and the masa has a lot more lard added to it than regular tamales.  

     Tamales de masa cocida are made of a coarsely ground corn mixture that is precooked, unlike the masa harina mixture that you can buy and just add water to. 

     Tamales de frijol are made like a jelly roll - the masa is patted out into a huge circle, and then the cooked and mashed beans are spread on top.  You roll the whole thing up, and then lop off chunks to put into your corn husk.  

     Next on the list of cooking with friends: Thai food tonight with a friend who used to live in Portland, and next week pozole with her mom.