"Guisado de Chile Verde con Queso" (Green Chile with Cheese Stew)
"Carne de Puerco en Chile Colorado" (Pork Meat on Red Chili Sauce)
"Hojas de Tamal con Masa" ( Masa spread on Corn leafs)
Tamales ready to be cooked
End result
The preparation of tamales is a whole ritual that has form an intrinsic part of some Mexican families tradition during the Christmas Holidays. The whole family gathers together, (or at least the women), and they get into the task of preparing the delicious meal. Some families even form what is equivalent to "production lines" where everyone is assigned a different task. In my family, usually my grandma is the one in charge of the preparation of the
Masa, which is a dough made out of dried corn
and the different types of stew that will go into the tamale. The little kids (who usually are very exited to help), are given the simplest task; passing down the tamale leafs to the other person. The next person's task (which is very often me), is to evenly spread a thin layer of masa on the leaf. And finally the last person puts a small portion of the stew in the middle, folds the tamale in a specific way, making sure it won't spill out, and puts it in a big and deep pot. You leave the tamales cooking for around an hour long, and after that, everyone gathers together to enjoy their christmas dinner.
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