Makes 10 tamales (2 per serving)
Ingredients
- 2 jalapenos
- 8 tomatillos, husks removed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2¼-2½ cups chicken stock, divided
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ cup cilantro
- salt for seasoning
- 2 chicken breast halves, boiled & shredded
- 1 cup masa (corn flour)
- 2 tbsp lard
- 10 cut pieces of banana leaf, in 10” x 4” pieces or 10 dried corn husks (soaked in warm water 1 hour)
How-to
Prepare Filling
- Boil chiles and tomatillos in salted water, whole, for 1 hour
- Remove from water and reserve 2 tbsp of cooking liquid with tomatillos
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onions 10 minutes until translucent and lightly-browned
- Transfer to blender with tomatillos and reserved cooking liquid, jalapenos, garlic cloves, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1 cup of chicken stock. Blend until almost smooth
- Add cilantro leaves and blend for 15 more seconds
- Transfer to medium saucepan and simmer 5 minutes on medium-high heat to reduce
- Add shredded, cooked chicken, simmer 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat while assembling masa dough
Assembling Masa Dough
- Heat 2 tbsp lard in small saucepan to melt
- Place masa in medium bowl, and mix in melted lard. Slowly mix in 1¼ - 1½ cups of chicken stock, until it reaches the consistency of play-dough
- Knead 10-20 minutes
- Spread 2 tbsp masala dough onto one side of banana leaf, leaving about 1" from the top and both lengths
- Top with 1-2 tbsp of chicken in tomatillo sauce
- Fold banana leaf over the contents twice, then fold vertical lengths in towards center. Fold down once more to seal in sides. Cut off excess leaf if needed
- Steam tamales in steam basket insert or a bamboo steamer, over simmering water, covered, for 1 hour
- Serve immediately in banana leaves
Tu Y Yo Mexican Cuisine Restaurant
858 Broadway
Somerville, MA 02144
617-623-5411