Strawberry Tamales Mexican Recipe

Strawberry Tamales Mexican Recipe

Ingredients

Recipe for: Tamales de Fresa

Makes ABOUT 2 DOZEN

• 30 dried cornhusks
• 1 pint fresh strawberries
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups blue or white masa harina
• 1¼ cups whole milk

Method

1. Rinse the cornhusks under cold water, place them in a bowl, and cover with boiling water (put a plate on top and weight it with a large can to keep them submerged)
2. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, or until soft
3. Wash the strawberries, dry them, and remove any green parts with the tip of a knife
4. Put them in a bowl and mash with your hands or a potato masher, then add the vanilla and salt
5. You want them to still be a bit chunky
6. Set aside
7. In a bowl, combine the butter, shortening, sugar, and baking powder with a handheld mixer or in a mixer with the paddle attachment and blend until very creamy
8. Add the masa harina and mix well (it’ll look a bit like coarse meal)
9. Continue to mix, adding a bit of the milk and alternating with the mashed strawberries until fully combined
10. Drain the cornhusks and scoop about ¼ cup of the batter into a husk, spreading it with the back of a spoon and leaving at least 1 inch all around (a little more on the long sides)
11. If the husks are too small or broken, put two together and overlap them
12. Fold one of the long sides toward the center, and then fold the other long side on top
13. Tuck the exposed sides underneath; if they are still too small, wrap the tamale in another husk and tie it with a thin strip of husk (this isn’t necessary but is just an extra precaution)
14. Repeat to use up all the batter
15. Fill a pot with enough hot water to reach just underneath, but not touching, a steamer (you can use the collapsible kind if you don’t have a special pot)
16. Cover the bottom of the steamer with leftover cornhusks and arrange the tamales vertically, standing them up so they rest against one another
17. Cover with any remaining leaves or scraps, cover with a lid, and cook over medium heat until the tamales slide out of the wrappers, 1 to 1½ hours
18. Add more boiling water to the bottom pot as needed to make sure water reaches the bottom of the steamer
19. Serve warm
20. The tamales can be cooled and stored in the freezer, wrapped tightly, for up to 3 months

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