**Taste the Authentic Flavors of Colombia: A Culinary Journey through Tamale Recipes**
Embark on a tantalizing culinary adventure to the heart of Colombian cuisine with our collection of traditional tamale recipes. Tamales, a beloved dish in Colombia and many Latin American countries, are a true testament to the vibrant flavors and rich cultural heritage of the region. These delectable parcels of corn dough, filled with an array of savory and sweet ingredients, are a symphony of textures and tastes that will captivate your senses. Our diverse selection of tamale recipes offers a glimpse into the culinary traditions of different regions of Colombia, each with its unique blend of spices, fillings, and cooking techniques. Whether you prefer the classic chicken and pork tamales, the vegetarian delight of mushroom and cheese tamales, or the sweet indulgence of coconut and pineapple tamales, this article has something to satisfy every palate. Prepare to be amazed by the complexity of flavors and textures that await you in these traditional Colombian tamale recipes.
COLOMBIAN TAMALES
This is one of my husband's favorite "Comfort Foods" (he's Colombian). He even said I made it right the first time I tried! The process is relatively involved - overnight marinating is recommended and it steams for three hours. It is nothing like Mexican Tamales or "Hot Tamales". These are wrapped in banana leaves rather than corn husks, are much larger, and not as spicy hot.
Provided by threeovens
Categories Savory Pies
Time 3h15m
Yield 6 packets, 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Prepare the marinade the night before you plan to make the tamales. Chop one bunch of green onions. Mince 2 garlic cloves. Combine, then add 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 packet of sazon. Rub mixture all over both chicken and ribs. Place meat in separate plastic baggies to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
- Next make the "hogao," a kind of sofrito. Combine chopped tomatoes, 1 bunch of chopped green onions, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 packet of sazon, 1/6 cup of chopped cilantro, olive oil and salt to taste in a skillet and saute until everything is soft and tender, kind of like a mush. Cool and refrigerate until ready to assemble tamales.
- Now you can make the "pique" sauce. Combine 1 bunch chopped green onions, 3 cloves minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, remaining chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, sugar, vinegar and salt to taste. Make this at least 2 hours before serving so flavors develop.
- Prepare masa harina according to package directions except use chicken broth in place of water and salt to taste. This mixture should have flavor unlike an arepa which is more bland (my husband says the masa is the best part). It should be fairly moist, but still stay together like a dough when pressed. If it is too wet you can still use it, it is just more messy.
- Now the hardest part is assembling them. Place about 1/4 cup of dough in the center of a banana leaf and spread it out. Put one rib and one chicken thigh piece on top. Place about 3 slices of the carrots, 6 potato sticks and 3 slices egg on top of the meat. Sprinkle with peas. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the "hogao" (sofrito) over all, then top with another 1/2 cup of spread out masa. This does not have to be uniform or even neat.
- Next pull up the sides of the banana leaf to form a packet. Tie with kitchen string, but do not let any of the filling seep out (I told you it was hard). If the leaves break just reinforce with extra banana leaves. Wrap packet in aluminum foil. Repeat 5 times.
- They are now ready to steam. Use a large Dutch oven with a steamer insert so the tamales do not touch the water in the bottom of the Dutch oven. These need to cook about 3 hours. You probably will have to replenish the water during the cooking process. Stack the tamales all the way to the top in the steamer pot and turn up the heat to high. If your pot does not hold all of them, just refrigerate or freeze the rest until you can steam them later. When you hear the water boiling furiously, turn the heat down to medium.
- Serve the tamales on a section of banana leaf. With the "pique" sauce on the side to be drizzled on bites of the tamale.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 496.1, Fat 12.3, SaturatedFat 2.8, Cholesterol 39.5, Sodium 92.2, Carbohydrate 80.4, Fiber 5.8, Sugar 10.5, Protein 18.7
COLOMBIAN TAMALES IN BANANA LEAVES
Steps:
- Put all marinade ingredients into blender and blend for 2 minutes. Divide marinade into two separate medium bowls. Add chicken cubes to one bowl, mix briefly, cover and place in the refrigerator. Add pork cubes to second bowl. Mix briefly, cover and place in the refrigerator. Leave both to marinate over night. The next day simmer meats separately in their own marinades in medium- sized saucepans for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes, slice them into 1/8" rounds and put them in a cup of water to keep their white color. Peel carrots and slice into 1/8" rounds. Cut banana leaves along grain every 4" resulting in 4" x 12" strips. Once meat has cooled to warm, drain juices from both meats into the instant cornmeal, add soy oil, and knead 5 minutes (adding small amounts of water or cornmeal as needed to make a workable dough). To assemble tamales, center a banana leaf strip on a square of aluminum foil. Shape about 1/2 cup of dough into a 1/8" thin oval by placing it on one side of a foot long piece of plastic wrap, folding the plastic over it and rolling a pin over it. Then place the thin oval on the left half of the banana leaf strip. Position 2 pieces each of chicken, pork, potato, carrot, and green olives on the oval. Once again, form a second oval with 1/2 cup of dough and place that on top of filling. Fold right side of leaf and aluminum foil over oval. Fold top and bottom of aluminum foil in towards center of oval and secure by pinching small folds to close the packet. This will leave one edge loose for steam to enter while cooking. Arrange packets in a spiral in a steamer (open end up). Steam over 2 inches of water for 1 hour, checking water level occasionally. Remove aluminum foil before serving. These freeze and re-heat beautifully.
COLOMBIAN RECIPES - CABBAGE TAMALES
This recipe is just simple a delicious, it comes from Andean region of Colombia, and it´s very simple to do.
Provided by Victoria 2
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 1h
Yield 3 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Prepare a stew of onions and tomatoes, chop the meat and toss with carrots and peas.
- Cook cabbage leaves in water without being too soft, remove from water and drain.
- Take each leaf and fill it with stew, tie the top and place in a pot. Spread each tamale with butter and cover with tomato juice and bring to medium heat until well seasoned.
Tips:
- Use fresh and high-quality ingredients. Especially for the masa dough, use fresh masa harina and flavorful fillings.
- Soak the corn husks properly. This will make them pliable and less likely to tear when wrapping the tamales.
- Don't overfill the tamales. Otherwise, they will be difficult to wrap and may burst during cooking.
- If you are using a steamer, make sure there is enough water in the pot. Otherwise, the tamales may not steam properly.
- Cook the tamales until the masa is firm and the filling is cooked through. This may take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the tamales.
- Let the tamales cool slightly before unwrapping them. This will help prevent them from breaking.
Conclusion:
Colombian tamales are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With a variety of fillings to choose from, there's sure to be a tamale that everyone will love. So next time you're looking for a new and exciting recipe to try, give Colombian tamales a try!
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