The History of Tamales
Today, tamales are widely known as a delicious Mexican food, found in restaurants, the frozen food aisle of the grocery store and even the home kitchen. But thanks to their self-contained packaging, these tasty entrees have a long history of serving hungry people on the go. Does this Spark an idea?
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What is a Tamale?
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A tamale is a small packet of flavored meat, either savory, spicy or sweet, surrounded by corn dough and wrapped up in a corn husk or, sometimes, banana leaves. Most often, tamales are filled with beef, chicken or pork flavored with a chili sauce, and the packets are wrapped in corn husks.
Early History
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According to Tamara's Tamales, a tamale restaurant in Los Angeles, tamales have been made in Mexico as far back as 5,000 B.C. They were originally designed as perfect travel food for soldiers on the road during battle, because women could make the little packets ahead of time, they traveled easily and they could be quickly steamed on the fire or eaten cold.
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Documented History
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According to GourmetSleuth.com, written documents show that the Aztecs served tamales to Spanish soldiers who visited Mexico in the 1550s. Those early tamales were made with beans, meat and chiles and cooked over the fire.
The popularity of tamales continued to catch on throughout the region, and the recipes for tamales grew in diversity to include meats and vegetables that suited different climates. Today, due to the time-consuming nature of the recipes, tamale-making is usually a family or group affair, reserved for holidays or special occasions when big batches can be made all at once with lots of extra hands to help.
How to Make a Tamale
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First, the corn dough, or masa, is made by combining lard, corn flour and chicken broth. The cook also prepares a meat filling, such as a shredded pork or beef with chili sauce. Once the meat filling is finished, the cook soaks and drains several corn husks, then spreads masa on one side of each husk. She places a few tablespoons of meat mixture in the center and rolls up the corn husk. Tie with a small strip of husk. Finally, steam tamales for about an hour to cook.
Variations
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The filling and wrappers for tamales can vary drastically depending on the region in which they are made. In Oaxaca, for example, banana leaves are wrapped around a black mole mix. In Sinaloa, Mexico, tamales can include pineapple and corn, and in Veracruz they are often made with chicken wrapped in banana leaves.
Size can vary, too. Some food writers have reported tamales several feet long in northwestern Mexico, for example, and tamales in the Yucatan Peninsula can be large, too, according to GourmetSleuth.com.
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- Photo Credit lucianvenutian: flickr.com
