Tamal, or tamales as they've become known, are a Mesoamerican food which I describe as tender pillows of love and possibilities. The construct and ingredients vary widely across cultures, and ours have certainly been heavily influenced by Sonoran culture, old family recipes, and modern adjustments for the flavors and textures we seek out in these delectable delicacies.
The common thread to any tamal is a filling of meat, cheese, legume and/or vegetable, encased in a masa or similar ground hominy and/or ground corn pasty batter. The product is then wrapped in corn husks, banana leaves, or other containment, and steamed to perfection. The ingredients and composition vary across generations and cultures, but the end product often evokes warm memories of heritage and the hearts with whom you've shared them with.
We have been hosting our tamale making parties for decades, as generations have done before us. We have ours in mid-November, prior to all the holiday hustle and bustle. It's our special way to reconnect with friends and loved ones, and with our treasured past.
There's a noteworthy amount of preparation that goes into preparations. It doesn't have to be that way. We could buy the products premade ingredients, but choose not to for some very specific reasons. For starters, we feel freshly prepared meats, sauces and masa honor the flavors and people that have gone before us. Second, we're kinda food snobs, at least to the point of wanting the flavors and textures to be perfect. If you've ever cooked foods comprised of a short list of ingredients, you know that any variation in one can be glaringly obvious.
Past years have included tamales of carnitas, or pork, chicken, beef or cheese. There have also been sweet tamales, flavored with coconut, pineapple and/or raisin. Chilies, sauces, and seasonings are matched, as we as additional ingredients in the masa as appropriate. This year required us to pare it down to two varieties. Shredded beef with a red sauce, and chili cheese. The same masa was used for both.
The morning began early with soaking the corn husks. We prefer wrapping our tamal this way, but they need to be soaked in boiling water for hours for pliability. Then it was on to making the masa while the prepared filling ingredients came to room temperature. The specific ingredients and methods are closely held secrets, which is why all of that happens before anyone arrives.
Which gets me to the assembly process. The first tamal is made by the senior member in attendance. This is often an elder, with two, three or even four generations watching. It's how we honor the tradition.
I realized after the fact that I didn't get pictures of this without, you know, people in them! It's likely that you don't know any of them, but we won't go there. Let's just say that people gathered around a long table, each performing a specific task, makes for one lively time. Our guests are generous in bringing nibbles and drink, and in trading off, so that all experience whatever suits their fancy. Which may be keeping drinks and ingredients filled, or kitchen duty. It's all in good fun.
Once enough are prepared, into the steamer pots they go! Each batch takes about three hours to cook completely, after which they are cooled and bagged. Everyone that attends goes home with tamales, regardless of what they contributed. Making tamal is mostly about love and life, and while the output has been fought over, it's friendship that's overflowing in abundance, and sets the stage for another great year.
