Tamale

The tamale or tamal ( from Nahuatl Tamalli ) (plural tamales ) is a traditional Mesoamerican dish consisting of masa ( corn dough ), which is steamed stuffed with meat, cheese or other ingredients and wrapped in plant leaves. The preparation by the Mayans and Aztecs middle of the last millennium has been demonstrated.

Preparation

The preparation of tamales is relatively labor intensive. In Central and Northern Mexico it is carried out as follows: The corn dough, which is often (usually pork ) mixed with lard, is smeared like butter on a plant leaf (usually corn or banana leaves ). Subsequently, the filling is placed lengthwise in the middle of the sheet; Meat as part of the filling should be already pre-cooked. The sides of the sheet are folded towards the center and then steamed for about an hour until the dough has a cake-like consistency. The ratio of filling to dough is highly dependent on personal taste. Once prepared, the tamales can easily frozen ( the leaves to prevent them sticking together ) and be warmed up as needed. The preparation is often a social event where friends and family meet to prepare hundreds of tamales, which are then divided.

Meanwhile, Latin American food is on offer specialized food manufacturers like Goya Foods and Catalina Finer Foods in Latin America, the U.S. and Spain tamales as frozen ready-meals to even dried corn leaves ( hojas de tamal ) are offered packaged by the industry.

Mexican variants

In Mexico, tamales are a common breakfast served at breakfast dish that by street vendors in large pots ( Tamaleras ) is offered. In some places, such as Zacatecas, the tamale is often placed in small wheat breads and becomes a torta de tamal. Common fillings are pork, lamb or chicken with either red or green salsa or mole. A variant often used as breakfast is the corn mixture add sugar and fill with dried fruits, nuts, sweet beans and / or caramel and thus a sweet tamale ( tamal de dulce ) to produce. A simple vegetarian alternative is the Tamal de elote ( corn tamale ). Instead of the corn leaves are used in tropical parts of the country, such as the countries bordering the Gulf of Mexico, Oaxaca, Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula of banana leaves used. These tamales have a rather square shape, are usually very large ( ~ 40 cm) and thick. A typical variant, particularly in Chiapas, Tamal de chipilín (stuffed with spicy Chipilinkräutern, a common for these tamales in southern Tamaulipas name is Zacahuil ). In the bordering countries of Central America, southern Mexico, this banana leaf tamales are also very common. To get a full meal, tamales are often served with atole, hot chocolate, or Champurrado.

Spread in Central and South America

The usual in Nicaragua form the tamales hot Nacatamales. In El Salvador and Honduras, the tamales as in southern Mexico and Nicaragua are also served in banana leaves. There are several variants such as Tamal de gallina ( chicken), Tamal pisque (fish), and tamal de elote. In Guatemala there are in addition to those occurring in El Salvador variants tamales without filling which are served as "bread" or saturating part of a meal such as Tamal blanco (white tamal made ​​with corn). Peruvian tamales are usually seasoned very sharp, wrapped in banana leaves and larger. They are usually filled with chicken or pork and served with boiled eggs, olives, peanuts or a piece of chilli pepper. Smaller tamales wrapped in corn leaves are called Humitas and are usually sweeter.

In Colombia there are tamales. There are different varieties, such as Boyacense and Santandereano. Ecuador also served different tamales and Humitas that are filled with fresh cheese, pork, chicken or raisins. Normally, the Ecuadorian tamales are wrapped in corn or Achirablätter. In Belize tamales are also very common. There, it is also known under the name bollo. Ignorance of the English-speaking population has meant that in Belize sometimes the plural is used as a singular: "a tamales ".

Tamales in the U.S.

The English plural is tamales, this is also the most common form, which you can hear in the U.S. in the Spanish -born population. The singular is Tamal Tamale respectively. Meanwhile tamales have achieved great popularity in the U.S., and thus also other fillings have developed, for example, with beef or shredded corn kernels. In addition tamales in the Southwestern United States are a popular Christmas dish.

The Tamale is also a common food in the Lower Mississippi Delta region. Its popularity grew in the early 19th century, when they introduced Mexican harvesters among black workers in the cotton plantations in the southern United States.