Street Food Adapted: Hot Tamales
An assortment of tamales purchased on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Photo: Abdi Aminlari for 3 Photographers.
I fell in love with tamales long before I ever actually tasted a tamale. In my little corner of New England, I had never even tried a taco until I was 14 and tamales were just the stuff of legends told by kids whose parents transferred from exotic places like California and Texas – places where a fresh tamale is like a little slice of heaven. I couldn’t wait to break free and try this mythical delight. I finally got that opportunity in my early 20’s not, ironically, in Mexico but in El Paso, Texas.
There I met Parker Kerr and his mom, Norma, who run the El Paso Chile Company. They told me the thing about tamales is the flavor and texture of the masa (cornmeal dough), not the filling (I’m a big fan of the filling, though, so I think they’re both equally as important). It’s almost impossible to find fresh ground masa in stores far from the Mexican border. Many of the tamales you’ll find in restaurants up North use masa de harina – a dried and powdered form, reconstituted with water, that is a quick but somewhat lesser substitute for the hand ground variety. But many of the street vendors you find in major urban areas do make their own.
Tasty treats. Chicken and Spicy Pork Tamales. Photo by Abdi Aminlari for 3 Photographers.
About two years ago, a friend and I were meeting our ride out of the NYC at 137th Street and Broadway. We took the 1 train from 86th Street and, when we reappeared above ground, our senses were assaulted by the most wonderful spicy, rich and lovely sweet smells. There, right in front of our eyes, was a couple selling steaming hot tamales from a cooler for $1.25. Without words, we immediately agreed we would bring some savory meat-filled treats to share with our friends on our 2 hour drive to Hartford. What we didn’t know… our friends were vegetarians. More for us!!
I have since been on a tasting quest and have learned that tamale fillings can be as creative and varied as the sandwich. The couple at 137th offer terrific chicken mole poblana and spicy pork oaxaquenos picante wrapped in a banana leaf while nearby, a woman vends a deliciously mild but spice-filled mole poblano flavored with hierba santa – an anis type herb. The tamale is ubiquitous in East Harlem, with stands on 116th Street and Third Avenue (SW corner), 110th and Lexington (NW corner) and 110th and Third Avenue (NW corner), serving all types of complexly flavored meat, cheese and sweet-filled tamales. Also bearing mention is the wonderfully addictive arroz con leche – a sweetly spiced hot milk with a rice base. It’s kind of like your morning coffee and breakfast all rolled into one. Move over Starbucks!
Ready to eat for $1.25! Chicken Poblano Tamale. Photo by Abdi Aminlari of 3 Photographers.
Making tamales at home is a long and fulfilling process but one which most modern cooks – myself included – just don’t have the time to execute. If you want to copy the taste without taking the time to wrap and steam, try this tamale pie that’s simple to prepare and sure to please a crowd. You can make it even easier and skip the braising technique. Just use homemade (or canned) chili or cook up a fresh ground turkey or chicken concoction. Play around with the filling and spices and create your own go-to party favorite!
Recipe: Double Adobo Pork Tamale Pie
Serves 8
Ingredients
Pork Filling
3 tbl. vegetable oil
3 lb. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
1 medium white onion, chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
4 dried bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tbl. dried oregano
3 whole cloves
2 dried chiles (ancho, chipotle, New Mexico or guajillo), toasted*, stemmed and seeded
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1 tsp. whole allspice berries
Adobo Sauce
6 dried guajillo chiles (2 ounces), wiped clean
3 dried ancho chiles (1 1/2 ounces), wiped clean
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 (1/2-inch) piece cinnamon stick, smashed
2 whole allspice
1 clove
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Dough
2 ½ cups masa de harina
½ cup butter
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1 ½ c. chicken broth (or reserved pork broth)
5 green onions, trimmed and sliced (about ¾ cup)
Topping
3 cups (12 oz.) medium sharp cheddar cheese or queso fresco
Make the Filling
Heat the oil in a heavy-duty 8 quart pot over medium high heat. Brown the pork well, about 4 minutes each side, working in batches if needed. Add the remaining pork filling ingredients and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the meat is very tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Transfer the meat to a plate, cool slightly and shred using 2 forks. Skim the fat and strain the broth, discarding the solids. Reserve and use for the dough, if desired. Can be made up to 2 days in advance.
Make the Adobo
Slit chiles lengthwise, then stem and seed. Heat a large heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles in batches, opening them flat, turning and pressing with tongs, until more pliable and slightly changed in color, about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to a bowl and cover chiles with boiling-hot water. Soak until softened, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast spices in a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Drain chiles, discarding liquid, and purée in a blender with spices, garlic, herbs, vinegar, water, oil, brown sugar and 2 tsp. salt until very smooth, about 1 minute. Can be made up to two days in advance.
Make the Dough
In a food processor, combine the masa de harina, shortening, baking powder and salt. Process briefly to blend. With motor running, add broth through the feed tube until a soft dough is formed. Transfer to a bowl and stir in green onions. (Dough can be made up to 8 hours in advance. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature.)
To Assemble
Mix the pork and adobo sauce together.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°. Transfer half of the dough to a deep 3-quart baking dish and, with the back of a spoon, smooth the dough over the bottom and up the sides to form a crust about ½ inch thick. Spoon the filling into the crust and spread it evenly. Spread the remaining dough evenly over the filling to the sides of the dish. Run the back of the spoon around the sides of the top crust to seal. Sprinkle the pie with cheese. (The tamale pie can be assembled 1 hour ahead and held, covered at room temperature).
Bake about 40 minutes or until the crust is puffed and lightly set. Let the pie stand on a rack for 5 minutes before serving. Accompany with sour cream, if desired.
