Making Tamales

There are three important components to a tamale: the wrapper, the dough and the filling.

• It's most common to wrap tamales in dried corn husks which have been soaked in water to make them pliable. Occasionally, people will use fresh corn husks or, in some regions, even banana leaves to wrap their tamales.
• Traditional tamale dough is a simple mixture of masa, lard and salt. Masa is dried corn that has been cooked in limewater (the mineral, not the fruit!), soaked overnight, and then ground up while still wet. Sold in this form, it's called fresh masa, and it makes the lightest, fluffiest tamales. If fresh masa isn't available in your area, you should be able to find masa harina, flour made from dried-out masa, in most supermarkets. Masa harina just needs to have extra liquid added to it, and will still make very good tamales.
• Finally, there is the tamale filling. The most well-known tamale recipes have a filling of braised pork or beef in a complex sauce of spices and dried and fresh chiles. However, it's not uncommon to see tamales stuffed with chicken, roasted vegetables, cheese, beans, seafood, or even sweet ones filled with fruit and nuts.

For light and fluffy tamale dough, whip the lard and salt with electric beaters for a few minutes before adding the masa. Once you add the masa, continue to whip, adding water or meat broth until the mixture is the consistency of soft cookie dough. Test it by dropping a small ball of dough into a glass of water. If the dough sinks, it needs more liquid whipped into it; if it floats, it's ready to use. If you prefer not to cook with lard, substitute an equal amount of vegetable shortening, although the dough will not have the same fullness of flavor.

To assemble:

• Spread a softened corn husk with an even layer of dough
• Spoon a small amount of filling down the middle--too much, and the tamale will be hard to roll.
• Carefully roll up the husk so that the masa completely surrounds the filling and the parcel stays intact. Use a strip of husk to tie the package closed.
• Layer the tamales in a steamer basket--a colander set over simmering water, covered with a kitchen towel and the pot lid, will work.

Making tamales can easily turn into an all-day affair, which is why Mexican families reserve them as a treat for very special occasions. Often, people turn the tamale-making itself into a party, where family and friends cluster in the kitchen, shredding meat, spreading masa onto corn husks, rolling tamales, and talking and laughing. When you get the urge to try your hand at a batch of tamales, roll up your sleeves, call up a few of your favorite people, and get ready for a fiesta!

If you're looking for something a little easier and much faster to prepare, try a tamale casserole.