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I remember vividly the indoor food market in Guatemala where I tasted my first banana leaf tamale: The floor was part cement, part dirt, and we used rolls of scratchy pink toilet paper for napkins. The unexpected, wonderful flavor of the tamale burned the details of the moment in my memory.
Some say that in Latin America, tamales are as diverse as sandwiches are in the United States. Although North Americans are most familiar with corn-husk-wrapped tamales, banana or plantain leaf tamales are common in the tropical regions of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the northern reaches of South America, where they are a hallmark of the Christmas season. Tamales are a great example of how cooking with all parts of a plant, including inedible ones, can add depth of flavor to a dish.
Making tamales is arduous and time consuming. The more people that help, the better. But the results are well worth the trouble. Each is a beautiful, self-contained present – wrapping, ribbon and all. Filled with simmered black beans or butternut squash, pork cooked with dried chiles or hearty greens and roasted garlic, these fragrant parcels can transport your imagination to a warm, faraway place while rooting you in the comfort foods of home.
Prep the Banana Leaves
You can find banana leaves in the freezers of Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese markets. Defrost and unfold the leaves. Then cut out the thin hard strip where each leaf connects to the central stalk and set aside (you’ll use them for tying the tamales later). Cut leaves into 12-by-12-inch squares. (If the leaf isn’t 12 inches tall, cut a rectangle at least 12 inches wide.) Save any leftover scraps.
Steam the cut leaves for 20 minutes to make them pliable. Alternatively, if you have a gas stove, turn on a burner and slowly pass each square just above the flame. One side of the leaf will turn from a vibrant green to an oily-looking deep olive color. Continue moving it over the flame until the entire square has the same even sheen. The leaf is ready.
Mix the Masa
Tamale dough is typically made from corn masa. Masa is different from cornmeal; it’s ground from dried corn kernels that were treated in a solution of water and lime or ash. This prevents the kernels from sprouting, thus extending the storage life. Hominy and grits are made through the same basic method, which also improves corn’s nutritional content by making niacin, or vitamin B3, more available for absorption.
You can use fresh masa, a wet dough available in the refrigerated section of some Mexican markets, or masa harina, a dried, powdered masa available in most American grocery stores. If using masa harina, reconstitute it in boiling water before proceeding with the recipe.
The dough for banana leaf tamales typically includes a hefty amount of lard, which gives the dough a delicate, pudding-like texture. Vegetable shortening makes a good substitute. (Try the non-hydrogenated Spectrum Organic Shortening.) Beat the dough until it’s as light and fluffy as cake batter. I recommend using a stand mixer, if available. The dough is ready when a small hunk floats in a cup of cold water.
Cook the Filling
Cook the filling before forming the tamales. The possibilities are endless, no less so in winter, when storage crops like dried beans, mushrooms, winter squash, dried peppers and cheeses become daily fare. Some options include: chicken with achiote (aka annatto, a red seed that is often ground into a paste, available in Mexican markets); black beans; toasted and ground sesame and pumpkin seeds; mushrooms sautéed with garlic and chiles; and sautéed greens with aged goat cheese. Tamales served around Christmas often show Spanish influence, with pork or chicken cooked alongside dried fruit, olives, capers, onions, tomatoes and warm spices, including cinnamon.
Wrap & Steam the Tamales
Set up a large steamer with ample water in the bottom. Line the upper levels with scraps of leftover banana leaf, leaving some holes for steam to penetrate. Bring water to a vigorous boil and maintain boil throughout the cooking time.
In the meantime, lay a square of banana leaf (Shiny side facing up) on your counter top. Spread 1/3-cup prepared masa into a 4-by-8-inch rectangle that begins at the top edge of the leaf and stretches down the center.
Place 1/4-cup filling on top of the masa in the very center of the leaf. Fold the top of the leaf (with the uncovered masa) over the filling, as though folding one-third of a letter. Fold the bottom of the leaf up and over, completing your letter fold.
You should now have a rectangle with a big lump hidden in the middle. Fold the two empty sides underneath so you’re left with a square. Secure the package with a strand of the banana leaf stalk.
Set the tamales side by side into the steamer. Most tamales take 50 to 90 minutes to steam. Be sure to check the water level periodically, and if necessary, replenish with boiling water. The tamales are done when the leaf cleanly separates from the dough. Remove from heat and allow to cool before diving in.
You can make a ton of tamales, freeze them, and reheat them in a steamer whenever the mood strikes. Or better yet, share them with your friends and family who helped whip the dough and fold the parcels, and then waited patiently while the air filled with their transcendent smell.
By Lola Milholland
Photo by Leah Harb
RECIPES
Fresh Masa
Butternut Masa Batter
Spicy Mushroom Filling
Achiote and Chicken Filling
Pumpkins Seeds and Egg Filling
Chard, Ricotta and Roasted Garlic Filling
Pork Picadillo Filling
Chipotle Chicken Filling
Simmered Black Beans
ORGANIC OR NON-GMO MASA
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find organic or GMO-free masa harina. If organic is a priority for you, you can order organic masa harina online from Gold Mine Natural Foods (goldminenaturalfoods.com). Fresh masa makes much lighter, fluffier tamales, so if you have the stamina, get your hands on some culinary lime and whole corn kernels and make your own! Find instructions here.
December 6th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
[...] in your next batch of banana leaf tamales. Find a recipe for how to make tamales from scratch here. 5 ounces (scant 2/3 cup) fresh pork lard or Spectrum Organic vegetable shortening, softened 1/2 [...]
December 6th, 2011 at 7:34 pm
[...] making a masa batter for tamales. Find instructions on how to make banana leaf tamales from scratch here, and a recipe for butternut squash masa batter for tamales [...]
December 7th, 2011 at 10:44 am
[...] instructions for how to make banana-leaf tamales here. This recipe is also wonderful wrapped in tortillas for enchiladas or used as a spread in a grilled [...]
December 7th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
[...] Issue, along with an article on how to make banana leaf tamales from scratch (find the instructions here), we included recipes for a spicy mushroom filling as well as simmered black beans, which are [...]
December 9th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
[...] Issue, along with an article on how to make banana leaf tamales from scratch (find the instructions here), we promised five additional filling ideas for you to use or draw inspiration from. This filling [...]
December 9th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
[...] Issue, along with an article on how to make banana leaf tamales from scratch (find the instructions here), we promised five additional filling ideas for you to use or draw inspiration [...]
December 9th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
[...] Issue, along with an article on how to make banana leaf tamales from scratch (find the instructions here), we promised five additional filling ideas for you to use or draw inspiration [...]
December 9th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
[...] Issue, along with an article on how to make banana leaf tamales from scratch (find the instructions here), we promised five additional filling ideas for you to use or draw inspiration [...]