Ingredients
Tamales Salados:
1 kg Corn masa
300 g Clear lard
2 tbsp Baking powder
3 tsp Salt [Ed: sea salt, not table salt]
20 square cut banana leaves, 30cm x 30cm
Meat Filling Carne Enchilada para el Relleno (Meat With Chili Peppers for Filling) (Oculto)
Salsa Salsa de Muchos Chiles (Many Pepper Salsa) (Oculto)
Directions
1
Place lard in mixer at room temperature or slightly cold
2
Mix until very white
3
Add masa slowly, about a 4 cm diameter ball at a time
4
Add baking powder and salt until well mixed
5
[Ed: Taste - it should be slightly too salty as we will lose salt during steaming]
6
Place banana leaves over a flame for a few seconds to make them soft [Ed: they will become glossy and a richer green color]
7
In the center of one banana leaf, spread 1 portion of masa into a rectangle along a line between opposite corners of the leaf. Then place an equal portion of meat in the center (perpendicular to the masa) and cover the meat with an equal portion of salsa. [Ed: we used a heaping soup spoon of the masa and meat, and 1.5 spoons of salsa]
8
Wrap and tie the ends with a piece of twine [Ed: Do not squeeze out filling. Fold diagonally so the to ends of the masa rectangle meet. Then fold the tip opposite the main fold over so the tip meets the filling edge, and again along the edge of the filling. The fold the sides on the lines of the filling and tie like a present.]
9
Arrange in a hot steamer [Ed: Line the steamer with banana leaves. Shingle the tamales like bricks around the perimeter, leaving a gap in the center. Fold the lining leaves over the top].
10
Steam for about an hour, or until they are cooked. [Ed: I think ours cooked for almost 2 hours]