TamalesX45

Begin by soaking corn husks in hot water.

Place a pot on top of the soaking husks to submerge them in water.

CORN HUSKS AND PROBABLY THE ANCHO CHILIES SHOULD BE BOUGHT IN THE US.

For the red sauce

• - 1/2 lb. of ancho chilies dipped in very warm water, deveined and seeds removed BUY
• - 3 cloves garlic
• - 1 tablespoon of lard
• - 1 Red tomato
• - 1 pound of pork meat cooked(Carnita pork)
• - Salt to taste

Blend red sauce into a pulp.

Reducing the liquid and immersing flavors.

Using a food processor liquefy the red tomato, the chopped ancho chiles with the garlic cloves and the water into which they were soaked in. This sauce is cooked with a bit of oil, mix it with the meat, season with salt and allow it to boil a few minutes until it becomes with the desired thickness. 

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Add broth (could just as easily be pork broth)

Masa mix (for the Master)

• - 2 pounds of white corn masa (corn flour) for tortillas BUY
• - 2 cups of the broth leftover from when the meat of filling was cooked
• - 1 pound of lard
• - 1.5 teaspoon of baking powder
• - 1 teaspoon of salt (or only a pinch is needed to do the sweet tamals)

Mix the masa gradually with the broth, incorporating it well by mixing with your hands.


Aside from this, beat the lard until it gets spongy and then add it to the masa. Beat this masa and lard mixture vigorously until it is ready (drop a small bit in a glass of water, if it floats then your dough is ready), then add the baking powder and the salt and again mix well.

Lard.

Baking powder.

Before putting the masa on the husk dry the husks!  Short cut: use a tortilla press to begin the process.  One will still need to press the corn dough onto the husks, but it saves about 1 minute on each!

 Put two tablespoons of tamal dough in every tamal corn husk, then put some filling in them, fold and wrap the corn leaves. They are now ready for cooking in a tamalera, (any steamer device will do) on a bed of tamal leaves. Steam-cook everything for 45 minutes, they are ready when the corn leaves come off easily from the dough.

More meat, less masa = better tamale.  But not too much or it won't close properly and it will squirt all over. 

It is important to lay down a few husks on the bottom colander so that the tamales woun't be scalded!

Place a damp tea towel over the top.  And along the sides if it isn't a tight seal.