Tamales Tolimenses

The story

Tamales Tolimenses is a Colombian main with a clear sense of place. Tamales in Colombia vary by region. The Tolima version is particularly substantial, combining maize dough with multiple meats, vegetables and egg inside banana leaves. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 700 g pre-cooked yellow maize flour
• 1000 ml chicken stockwarm
• 50 ml annatto oil
• 500 g pork shouldercut into 8 pieces
• 8 piece chicken thighssmall, bone-in
• 500 g potatoessliced
• 250 g carrotssliced
• 180 g peas
• 4 piece boiled eggshalved
• 150 g Spring onions
• 300 g tomatoes
• 15 g Garlic
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 8 piece banana leaveslarge rectangles, softened

Method

1. Make a concentrated hogao with spring onions,

   Make a concentrated hogao with spring onions, tomatoes, garlic, cumin and some annatto oil. Divide it: use half to marinate the pork and chicken for at least 30 minutes and reserve half for the dough.

   Tip: Assemble one test tamal and make sure the masa is well seasoned before wrapping the full batch; once sealed, adjustment is impossible. Avoid: Cold rigid leaves tear; loose wrapping lets water into the masa; insufficient steaming leaves a raw granular centre.

2. Mix maize flour with warm stock, remaining

   Mix maize flour with warm stock, remaining annatto oil and reserved hogao until you have a thick spoonable masa. Rest 15 minutes so the flour hydrates fully.

   Look for: you have a thick spoonable masa

3. Pass banana leaves briefly over a gas

   Pass banana leaves briefly over a gas flame or through hot water until flexible. Wipe clean and overlap pieces if necessary to create eight large wrappers.

   Look for: flexible

4. Spoon masa into the centre of each

   Spoon masa into the centre of each leaf. Add one piece each of pork and chicken, potato, carrot, peas and half a boiled egg, then cover with another spoonful of masa.

5. Fold the leaf tightly into a parcel

   Fold the leaf tightly into a parcel without compressing the filling and tie securely with kitchen string. Arrange parcels upright or layered in a large steamer.

6. Steam vigorously for about 2½ hours, checking

   Steam vigorously for about 2½ hours, checking the water level regularly. Rest 10 minutes before opening; the masa should be firm and cohesive, and both meats must be fully cooked.

   Look for: Masa pulls cleanly from the leaf, has no raw graininess and the pork and chicken are tender through to the centre.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.