Salvadorean Tamales Recipes

SALVADOREAN TAMALES

Steps:

• Part 1 - Filling.
• 1. Carefully decant all ingredients (minus the boiled potato & garbanzo beans) at once in boiling water, stir vigorously until mixed and cover it until brought back to a boil.
• 2. Lower heat to simmer temperature. Simmer for 3 hours stirring every 15 minutes or less to avoid sticking to the bottom and burning.
• 3. Let it rest overnight tightly covered.
• 4. Next day, using simmer temperature, bring it to boil, and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes or less to avoid sticking to the bottom and burning.
• 5. Add already boiled potatoe's and garbanzo beans.
• 6. Let it rest tightly covered until it cools down from hot to warm.
• Part 2 - Batter.
• 1. Mix all ingredients in large bowl until batter acquires an even texture. When ready masa should feel about three times thicker than pancake batter. Add more water if necessary. Add salt as needed to fit your taste and diet.
• Part 3 - Garnish.
• 1. Place olives in a bowl and place at arm's length on tamal-preparation surface.
• Part 4 - Wrappings.
• 1. Place the wrappings also at arm's length on tamal-preparation surface.
• Part 5 - Making the Tamale's.
• 1. Lay out aluminum foil square on tamal-preparation surface.
• 2. Lay out banana leave square on top of aluminum foil square.
• 3. Pour a heaping cooking-spoon of batter on center of banana leaf slightly closer to you but not on the edge.
• 4. Making a depression in center of batter, pour three full table spoons of Filling on center of Batter.
• 5. Toss in 1 olives on top of the batter/filling.
• 6. Wrap up tamal on four sides with banana leaf & foil avoiding any leakage as much as possible.
• NOTE: The best way to fold them would be to fold end closest to you forward first, then folds the ends in and roll the tamal to the end of the wrapping.
• Part 5 - Steaming Tamale's
• 1. In a large stock pot bring 2L of water to a boil (add salt).
• 2. Place a metal rack at the bottom of the Stock pot.
• 3. Stack 1/2 or the tamales in the stock pot allowing room for steam to move in between them.
• 4. Steam for a total of 4 hours, make sure to change positions of tamales every hour to ensure even cooking in all tamales.
• 5. Continue the same proccess with the remaining tamales (or use 4 stock pots).
• 6. Tamal's are now ready to be served directly from the stock pot.
• Note: Tamales can be served at breakfast, lunch or supper. Accompany tamales with coffee at breakfast, or cold ale or lager at lunch or supper. Enjoy!
• Part 6 - Freezing Tamales
• 1. Let tamales cool down to room temperature.
• 2. Pack in sealed plastic bags. Make sure that tamales have cooled before placing them in plastic bags.
• 3. Freeze them.
• Part 7 - Defrosting and Serving Tamales.
• 1. Defrosting tamales may prove tricky. If heated wrong, tamales may get sandy, chewy, or crunchy. The best result is obtained if tamales are let thaw at room temperature.
• 2. Once thawed, discard aluminum foil wrap and, still wrapped in banana leave wrap tamal in polyurethane foil ("Saran wrap"), then microwave tamal for 2 1/2 minutes at high temperature.

RELAJO (SALVADOREAN RED CHILE SAUCE)

Steps:

• Place the chile ingredients in a medium size pot and cover with water. Bring the chiles and tomatoes to a boil, cover and continue boiling for 20 minutes.
• Next, place the spice mix ingredients in a saute pan and toast on medium high heat stirring constantly. Make sure to keep everything moving so that the sesame seeds do not burn. Keep toasting the mixture for about 3 minutes until the sesame seeds turn golden brown. Remove the mixture from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Once the chiles and tomatoes are cooked, remove from the heat and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes.
• Working in two batches, place the chile ingredients in the blender with a half cup of the cooking liquid for each batch. Blend on high for 2 minutes.
• Pour the blended chile into a large pan and set aside.
• Next, pour the spice mix ingredients in the blender, with 1 cup of water. Blend on high for 5-8 minutes until the sesame seeds are completely blended and the liquid is smooth (may feel a little gritty but will not be chunky at all).
• Next, pour the spice mix into the chile mix and bring the pot to a low boil over medium heat. Once the chile has boiled for 5 minutes add the margarine stirring to incorporate. Once the margarine is melted add the chicken and beef consomme powder and stir to incorporate.
• Continue cooking the chile sauce on medium heat for an additional 10 minutes.
• Note: The sauce prepared above would be for Salvadorean Tamales. Add an additional cup of water, 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 tsp of celery salt when you add the consomme for the sauce that is served over Panes Rellenos. For Sopa de Pata, use the same ingredients for the Panes Rellenos but add another 6 cups of water and double the chile and spice mix recipe.