What to Eat in Mexico – Tamales, the Best Way to Eat Corn

I’ve been writing about Mexican specialties for months now, starting with the most basic items (see my list of posts below) and I haven’t even mentioned the famous tamales! Time to make up for it. Although I would say, as popular as tamales are, they’re a bit more involved dishes, rising above the level of salsa or even chilaquiles. That’s probably just because I’ve never actually made them myself. It takes a huge steaming pot called tamalera to make them. After all, there’s no point in only making a few.

What are Tamales?

Other than that, tamales are not very hard to conceptualize: rolls of homily (nixtamalized corn-dough, I mentioned in my post about tortillas) wrapped in corn husks, and steamed in a large pot. That’s pretty much it. And since the taste of homily would be pretty bland by itself, something else is usually added to it. This could be anything from chicken, pork, cheese, salsa of course, or just rajas, which are chilis cut in stripes, or even some type of fruit to give it a sweet flavor. In certain regions, the preferred way to wrap tamales are in banana leaves instead of corn husks. These are known as Tamales Oaxaqueños or Oaxacan Tamales, even if they’re not from the state of Oaxaca. In fact, right in Oaxaca I remember a lady selling iguana tamales, wrapped in corn husks! To my query, as to why she didn’t use banana leaves, she just said that they were not Oaxacan Tamals. Fair enough…

The first time I got to try a tamal, it only had some refried beans in it, but was so delicious that I bought two more, straight away. Granted, this happened on a long bus-journey, where my growling stomach would have made just about anything taste delicious, but ever since then I’ve become a great fan of tamales. They can be a sweet treat, or be so spicy that they burn your lips off. In Mexico City they are frequently sold on street corners, or by vendors on tricycles. In fact, there is a well known recorded voice, praising delicious Tamales Oaxaqueños, played by numerous trike vendors throughout the city.

Unfortunately, as unique as these tamales may appear to be, most of them sold on street corners and trikes are centrally made, in a big tamal factory. As a result, most vendors offer the same four types: chicken with green salsa, chicken with mole, cheese and chilis (my favorites), and sweet ones. The latter ones are pink colored, and are supposed to resemble something like strawberry, but so far nobody could tell me what they were actually made with. As opposed to these, home-made tamales can be highly diverse, and super delicious. Also their sizes can range from that of a bigger finger to massive hoagie look-alikes.

Tamal Time!

In Mexico it seems like it’s always time for tamales. They are enjoyed for breakfast as much as for lunch, dinner, or a midnight snack. Their wrapped-up nature also makes them great for traveling food. They are eaten throughout the whole year, but the most famous day for tamales is La Candelaria on February 2nd. Although we’re still a month away from this holiday, it is not entirely inappropriate to write about it right now, as January 6th, the Day of the Three Kings or Reyes Magos, is a precursor to it.

According to local custom, this is the day when Mexican children receive their Christmas presents, brought to them not by Santa or the Christ-child, but by the Three Kings (though these days many kids tend to be spoiled by all of these gift giving entities). Families meet up for the occasion, and eat a pastry wreath called Rosca de Reyes. The important gimmick in this desert is a little figurine baked into the dough. The "lucky" person to find it is given the task of making tamales for the whole family on February 2nd.

For more on Mexican food, check out my series What to Eat in Mexico: