Oaxacan Pumpkin Tamales(Tamales Miahuatecos)

* Exported from MasterCook *

OAXACAN PUMPKIN TAMALES (TAMALES MIAHUATECOS)

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Main Dish Times
Mexican

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
-----LARRY LUTTROPP FVKC70A-----
-----L.A. TIMES FOOD SECTION 4/94-----
1 pound Banana leaves -- thawed or
Frozen
2 cups (heaping) masa harina
2 cups To 2 1/2 cups warm chicken
Stock or water
1/2 pound Lard
2 cups Pureed cooked or canned
Pumpkin or winter squash
Drained if watery
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Ceylon cinnamon OR
1/2 teaspoon Cassia cinnamon (American)
3 ounces Piloncillo -- grated or
Crushed -- OR
1/2 cup Dark-brown sugar -- firmly
-- packed
Salt
-----BEAN FILLING-----
2 cups Water
2 teaspoons Anise
2 To 3 Oaxacan pasilla OR
Dried or canned chipotle
Chiles
2 cups To 2 1/2 cups cooked or
Canned black beans -- drained
5 To 6 garlic cloves -- peeled
2 tablespoons Lard
Salt

~-----From the library of Charlie in Philly CJPV06A-----------------
"OAXACAN PUMPKIN TAMALES (TAMALES MIAHUATECOS)" Unfold banana leaves, being
careful not to split them unnecessarily. Wipe with clean damp cloth and pat dry
.
With kitchen scissors, trim leaves into 12 to 14 rectangles, each about 14x11
inches. Save some of the longer trimmings.
Mix masa harina in a bowl or pot with enough warm stock to make soft but not
sticky dough. Beat lard in separate large bowl on medium speed until very light
and fluffy. Add masa harina mixture and pumpkin puree to lard little at time,
beating on medium speed and scraping down as needed. Mixture should be as light
as
butter cream. Beat in cinnamon, piloncillo and salt to taste.
Place 1 or 2 banana leaf rectangles flat on work space. Tear off some long, thi
n
strips from reserved banana leaf trimmings. Place 2/3 to 1 cup masa mixture in
center of leaf and with spatula or fingers spread into 3x4x1/2-inch thick oval.
Place 1 heaping tablespoon Bean Filling in center of oval, Fold left and right
edges of banana leaf toward center to meet, overlapping little to cover filling
,
then fold top and bottom edges to center to make a neat, flat package about 4x5
inches. Fasten by tying with thin strip of banana leaf. Repeat with remaining
banana leaves, masa and filling.


=============== Reply 14 of Note 1 ==============
Board: FOOD BB Topic: ETHNIC Subject: RR-TAMALES
To: MXBN00B SHIRLEY HENDEL Date: 08/18 From: CJPV06A
CHARLES PEARL Time: 1:47 PM
Place tamales flat in steamer, seam side up, arranging in layers as necessary.
Place some extra banana leaves on top to help tamales absorb steam.
Steam, covered tightly, over boiling water about 1 hour, replenishing with hot
water as needed. Remove steamer basket and let tamales rest 10 minutes before
serving. Makes 12 to 14 tamales.

BEAN FILLING: Put water in small pan, add anise and boil until reduced by half
.
Strain and reserve infusion.
If using Oaxacan pasilla or dried chipotles, cover with boiling water and let s
oak
until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and remove stems. Canned chipotles need
no
preparation.
Working in batches, if necessary, puree beans with chiles, garlic and anise
infusion in blender or food processor fitted with steel blade.
Melt lard in heavy skillet or wide, shallow saucepan over high heat. When very
hot, add bean puree, watching for splatters. Reduce heat to medium and simmer,
uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until liquid is evaporate
d.
Season to taste with salt. Cool to room temperature.
Each of 12 tamales contains about: 351 calories; 184 mg sodium; 20 mg cholester
ol;
22 grams fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.13 grams fiber.
Source and article: Zarla Martinez, owner Zarela restaurant, NY. From her
cookbook, Food From My Heart.
If you don't have a tamale steamer, Martinez recommends propping a cake rack on
sawed-off tin cans in a large stockpot or Dutch oven, or placing the tamales
directly on the bottom of a Dutch oven and leaning them tepee style against a
central prop such as a large ball of aluminum foil (if the tamales are tightly
wrapped, they will not leak when you add the 1 inch of boiling water needed for
steaming). Remember that water evaporates faster in a wider pot. Banana leaves
and
piloncillo (conical loaves of brown sugar) are available in most Mexican market
s.
L.A. Times, article, "Fat: Restoring a Spattered Reputation", 4/28/94, page H2.

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