Tamales
 
 
Cuisine: Guatemalan
Ingredients
Mole Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
  • 1 pasa or pasilla chili pepper, toasted and seeded
  • 1 guaque chili pepper, toasted and seeded (or other chili pepper)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup bread crumbs, toasted
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted
  • ½ cup water
  • 1-1/2 lb boneless chicken
Dough
  • 1-3/4 lb masa harina
  • 6 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ lb butter or shortening
Tamales
  • 16 banana leaves or aluminum foil (about 12×12 in)
  • Raffia (or butcher’s string) to close the tamales
  • 16 small pitted prunes
  • 32 raisins
  • 32 pitted green olives
Instructions
Mole Sauce
  1. Put all the sauce ingredients (except chicken) in a blender and blend for a few minutes until obtaining a smooth sauce.
  2. Cook the chicken with the sauce in a covered pan over medium heat for 20 minutes.
  3. Remove chicken and cut into thin slices or cubes.
  4. Set aside the chicken and sauce.
Dough
  1. Mix the dough ingredients together and simmer in a saucepan over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring often, until the dough is thick and smooth. Add water if necessary.
Tamales Assembly
  1. Hover banana leaves over a flame for a few seconds on each side. Rinse each one.
  2. In the center of each leaf, place a handful of masa and spread over a rectangle of 4×5 inches and 1 inch thick.
  3. Place prunes, raisins and olives in the tamale.
  4. Pour 2 tablespoons of sauce and a few pieces of chicken in each tamale.
  5. Fold the leaf toward the center, seal, then fold the other end.
  6. Tie the package with raffia (or string) as pictured.
Recipe by Tropicsgourmet at https://tropicsgourmet.com/5-alternative-side-dishes-try-holiday/