*  Exported from  MasterCook  *
 
               OAXACAN PUMPKIN TAMALES (TAMALES MIAHUATECOS)
 
 Recipe By     :
 Serving Size  : 12   Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Main Dish                        Times
                 Mexican
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
                         -----LARRY LUTTROPP FVKC70A-----
                         -----L.A. TIMES FOOD SECTION 4/94-----
    1      pound         Banana leaves -- thawed or
                         Frozen
    2      cups          (heaping) masa harina
    2      cups          To 2 1/2 cups warm chicken
                         Stock or water
      1/2  pound         Lard
    2      cups          Pureed cooked or canned
                         Pumpkin or winter squash
                         Drained if watery
    1 1/2  teaspoons     Ground Ceylon cinnamon OR
      1/2  teaspoon      Cassia cinnamon (American)
    3      ounces        Piloncillo -- grated or
                         Crushed -- OR
      1/2  cup           Dark-brown sugar -- firmly
                          -- packed
                         Salt
                         -----BEAN FILLING-----
    2      cups          Water
    2      teaspoons     Anise
    2                    To 3 Oaxacan pasilla OR
                         Dried or canned chipotle
                         Chiles
    2      cups          To 2 1/2 cups cooked or
                         Canned black beans -- drained
    5                    To 6 garlic cloves -- peeled
    2      tablespoons   Lard
                         Salt
 
 ~-----From the library of Charlie in Philly CJPV06A-----------------
  “OAXACAN PUMPKIN TAMALES (TAMALES MIAHUATECOS)” Unfold banana leaves, being
 careful not to split them unnecessarily. Wipe with clean damp cloth and pat dry
 .
 With kitchen scissors, trim leaves into 12 to 14 rectangles, each about 14x11
 inches. Save some of the longer trimmings.
 Mix masa harina in a bowl or pot with enough warm stock to make soft but not
 sticky dough. Beat lard in separate large bowl on medium speed until very light
 and fluffy. Add masa harina mixture and pumpkin puree to lard little at time,
 beating on medium speed and scraping down as needed. Mixture should be as light
  as
 butter cream. Beat in cinnamon, piloncillo and salt to taste.
 Place 1 or 2 banana leaf rectangles flat on work space. Tear off some long, thi
 n
 strips from reserved banana leaf trimmings. Place 2/3 to 1 cup masa mixture in
 center of leaf and with spatula or fingers spread into 3x4x1/2-inch thick oval.
 Place 1 heaping tablespoon Bean Filling in center of oval, Fold left and right
 edges of banana leaf toward center to meet, overlapping little to cover filling
 ,
 then fold top and bottom edges to center to make a neat, flat package about 4x5
 inches. Fasten by tying with thin strip of banana leaf. Repeat with remaining
 banana leaves, masa and filling.
 
 
  ===============   Reply   14 of Note    1 ==============
  Board:      FOOD BB Topic:      ETHNIC Subject:    RR-TAMALES
  To:     MXBN00B    SHIRLEY HENDEL        Date:    08/18 From:   CJPV06A
 CHARLES PEARL         Time:     1:47 PM
  Place tamales flat in steamer, seam side up, arranging in layers as necessary.
 Place some extra banana leaves on top to help tamales absorb steam.
 Steam, covered tightly, over boiling water about 1 hour, replenishing with hot
 water as needed. Remove steamer basket and let tamales rest 10 minutes before
 serving. Makes 12 to 14 tamales.
 
  BEAN FILLING: Put water in small pan, add anise and boil until reduced by half
 .
 Strain and reserve infusion.
 If using Oaxacan pasilla or dried chipotles, cover with boiling water and let s
 oak
 until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and remove stems. Canned chipotles need
  no
 preparation.
 Working in batches, if necessary, puree beans with chiles, garlic and anise
 infusion in blender or food processor fitted with steel blade.
 Melt lard in heavy skillet or wide, shallow saucepan over high heat. When very
 hot, add bean puree, watching for splatters. Reduce heat to medium and simmer,
 uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until liquid is evaporate
 d.
 Season to taste with salt. Cool to room temperature.
 Each of 12 tamales contains about: 351 calories; 184 mg sodium; 20 mg cholester
 ol;
 22 grams fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.13 grams fiber.
 Source and article: Zarla Martinez, owner Zarela restaurant, NY. From her
 cookbook, Food From My Heart.
 If you don't have a tamale steamer, Martinez recommends propping a cake rack on
 sawed-off tin cans in a large stockpot or Dutch oven, or placing the tamales
 directly on the bottom of a Dutch oven and leaning them tepee style against a
 central prop such as a large ball of aluminum foil (if the tamales are tightly
 wrapped, they will not leak when you add the 1 inch of boiling water needed for
 steaming). Remember that water evaporates faster in a wider pot. Banana leaves 
 and
 piloncillo (conical loaves of brown sugar) are available in most Mexican market
 s.
 L.A. Times, article, “Fat: Restoring a Spattered Reputation”, 4/28/94, page H2.
 
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