Yet Another Cook Book





Cuban Tamales


Ingredients:

  • 2-1/2 cups yellow corn meal, and 3-1/2 cups cool water
  • 1 can (1 pound 1 ounce) Cream style corn by Green Giant (other brands are not good)
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 1-1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
    • 1/2 can (or to taste) tomatoes with green chilies by Ro-Tel or other hot sauce
    4 or 5 garlic cloves, crushed
    2 tsp salt (or to taste)
    1/2 tsp cumin
    1 cup corn oil (other oils don't taste like corn)
    1 chicken, part-boiled (boil 1/2 hour)
    heavy duty aluminum foil (it's easier than corn leaves)

    Instructions:
    Soak corn meal in the cool water for half an hour. (This thins the corn meal.)
    Make envelopes with the aluminum foil: fold a piece of aluminum foil in half;
    Make three or four folds on each of the two sides. (Heavy duty foil will withstand the boiling jolts)
    Shred the boiled chicken.
    Saute' the onion, bell pepper, garlic and chicken in a large pot in the oil, medium heat (if you use less oil, the mix will stick to the wrapper).
    Add all other ingredients and boil for 3 minutes. Stir so that it won't stick.
    Fill aluminum foil envelopes with mix with a cooking spoon. Seal with 3 or 4 turns at the top.
    Boil for 30 minutes.
    These are the best tamales you've ever had!


    Lillian

    This recipe was invented by my friend Gisela Valle from New Orleans in the 1960s. Gisela grew up in Cuba and moved to the United States in her early 20s. She lived in the United States the rest of her life. She loved and knew both countries really well, like the palm of her hand. She said that the original Cuban tamales are made of mature corn, which is tough, and thicken firmly. American corn is picked when it is young and tender; it does not thicken firmly. The closest American equivalent to the Cuban mature corn is corn meal. Corn meal is made of mature corn, and it thickens firmly. This is why her recipe uses corn meal


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    Created - August 25, 2009