One of the snacking dishes that stood out as pure street food, pure comfort food while I was in Mexico was Tamales. Masa corn dough little bites sized parcels filled with usually pulled pork or chicken, wrapped and steamed in corn husks.

I cooked the recipe written below on my return from Mexico, so now you can can cook the same….buen provecho!

Tamale Dough
230g masa harina
300ml beef stock
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
150g lard
225g dried corn husks
250ml soured cream

In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the stock until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more stock as necessary to form a spongy dough.

Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water.

Tamale Filling
675g pork loin
1 large onion, halved
1 clove garlic
4 dried ancho chillies or mild red chillies
475ml water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Put the pork into a large saucepan with onion and garlic and add water to cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.
Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chillies. Place chillies in a saucepan with 475ml of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chillies and water to a liquidiser and blend until smooth. Pass the mixture through a sieve, stir in salt and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in 250ml of the chilli sauce.

Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 5mm to 1cm thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the centre. Fold the sides of the husks in toward the centre and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour.
Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chilli sauce over.

I like hot sauce on everything!