Name: Salvadoran Tamale Recipe for Christmas Eve
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients: 4 cup corn dough; 2 cup pork lard; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 cup annatto (paste or powder dissolved in hot water); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 Kilogram cooked and shredded pork; 1 Kilogram cooked and shredded chicken breast; 2 cup cooked chickpeas; 1 cup pitted and chopped green and black olives; 1 cup raisins; 1 cup cooked rice; 4 Unit garlic cloves, chopped; 2 Unit tomatoes, chopped; 2 Unit green chiles, chopped; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon oregano; 1 cup chicken broth; Unit salt and pepper; Unit banana leaves or corn husks for wrapping

Salvadoran Tamale Recipe for Christmas Eve

Tamales are the star dish of Christmas celebrations in El Salvador.

The creation of these exquisite delicacies involves mixing seasoned corn dough with annatto, as well as filling them with pork, chicken, chickpeas, raisins, and olives. Then, everything is carefully wrapped in banana leaves before steaming.

Salvadoran Tamale Recipe for Christmas Eve

Appetizers

1 hour

6 Servings

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Ingredients

4 cups of corn dough

2 cups of pork lard

1 cup of chicken broth

1 cup of annatto (paste or powder dissolved in hot water)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 kilogram of cooked and shredded pork

1 kilogram of cooked and shredded chicken breast

2 cups of cooked chickpeas

1 cup of pitted and chopped green and black olives

1 cup of raisins

1 cup of cooked rice

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 green chiles, chopped

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of oregano

1 cup of chicken broth

salt and pepper

banana leaves or corn husks for wrapping

Preparation

Step 1 : For the dough preparation, in a large bowl, mix the corn dough with the pork lard, chicken broth, annatto dissolved in hot water, and salt.

Step 2 : Then, knead well until obtaining a smooth and homogeneous dough.

Step 3 : Set aside.

Step 4 : For the filling, in a large skillet, heat some oil and sauté the garlic until golden.

Step 5 : Add the tomatoes and chiles, cooking until tender.

Step 6 : Incorporate the pork, chicken breast, chickpeas, olives, raisins, rice, cumin, oregano, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until all ingredients are well combined and the mixture has a juicy but not liquid consistency.

Step 7 : Set aside.

Step 8 : For assembling the tamales, wash and dry the banana leaves.

Step 9 : Pass the leaves over a flame or on the stove to soften and make handling easier.

Step 10 : Place a portion of dough in the center of each banana leaf and spread it out into a rectangular shape.

Step 11 : Add a portion of the filling in the center of the dough.

Step 12 : Fold the long sides of the leaf towards the center, covering the filling, then fold the ends to form a rectangular package.

Step 13 : Tie each tamale with kitchen twine.

Step 14 : For steaming, place the tamales upright in a large steamer, ensuring they stand properly.

Step 15 : Add water to the steamer without touching the tamales.

Step 16 : Steam over medium-high heat for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, adding more water if necessary.

Step 17 : Once cooked, let the tamales rest for a few minutes before serving.

Step 18 : These Salvadoran Tamales are a delicious Christmas tradition that is sure to delight everyone at Christmas Eve dinner!