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Meatless Monday: Soyrizo and Corn Tamales

  • Allie Beau Fazekas
  • Mar 31, 2015

After averaging about a tamale or two a week since our arrival out to southern California, I decided a little while back I ought to learn how to actually create these little packets of doughy deliciousness. I was shocked that it’s not really all that difficult, just a tad on the time consuming side. Regardless, these tamales came together in just a few hours one afternoon, and depending on your filling it could go even quicker. I used my bamboo steamer simply because I already had it, and found it works pretty great with these little square-ish tamales I folded. This was also the first time I used vegetarian soy chorizo as opposed to its fattier pork and beef counterparts, and it was truly great– the same tangy spicy sausage you expect, but a lot less neon orange grease to drain. Coupled with some corn, some smoky adobo sauce and a red onion, and this filling made for highly addictive tamales.

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Soyrizo and Corn Tamales

Makes about 20 tamales
Takes about two hours including steaming

What they’re Made of:

Filling
  • 1 9oz tube Mexican soy chorizo
  • 1 medium red onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 light Mexican lager like Negra Modelo, just a few glugs (you can use water but come on, use the beer. Then drink the rest.)
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a jar of chipotles
  • 2 ears of corn, kernels removed
  • 6 oz crumbled Cotija cheese
Tamales
  • 20-25 corn husks, soaked in cold water for an hour or so
  • 2 cups instant corn masa for tamales
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 2/3 cup lard

How they’re Made:

  1. First, prepare your filling so it can cool for you to handle while you make the tamale batter. Over medium high, heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet, then add the chorizo. Brown and crumble the chorizo with a wooden spoon for about five minutes, then transfer to a plate lined with a few paper towels to drain.
  2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about five minutes. Use this time to scrape up any bits from the chorizo on the pan. Add the adobo sauce and stir, then a few splashes of beer (eighth of a cup, max) and bring to a boil. Stir in the corn kernels and cook until the liquid has reduced, another eight to ten minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. At some point, fold back in your drained soyrizo.
  4. Now, prepare the masa. In a large stand mixer, beat the flour, baking powder and salt on the lowest setting and slowly pour in the water in a steady stream to moisten. After a few minutes as the dough begins to form, add the lard spoonful by spoonful to the mixer. Beat another minute or so then turn off and mix by hand to ensure lard is evenly incorporated.
  5. Create a work station with the prepared masa, the crumbled Cotija cheese, your cooled filling and the corn husks. Place your steamer nearby to fill as you go. Take a corn husk, place a heaping spoonful of the masa in the center and press down. Add a spoonful of the filling and a sprinkle of Cotija, leaving a border around the edge of the masa. Grab the corn husk and fold the edges together to seal the filling in the masa, then fold the top over into a small packet. The easiest way to do this is to watch this video and then practice, practice, practice. They’re not all going to be perfect, but they will all be quite delicious.
  6. Assemble the tamales in your bamboo steamer, about two high on each level. Tuck in each tamale to efficiently use your space. Place the steamer over a medium-low flame and steam for about 45 minutes to an hour, carefully adding water as it evaporates. I like to eat the tamales fresh out of the steamer, or removed from the husks and topped with jack cheese and placed under the broiler for a few minutes to brown. Serve with finely sliced green onions and sour cream.

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I mean, sure, it’s a bit tedious. But you can get into quite the groove of assembling (or maybe enlist help? Imagine!) and it goes by pretty quick. These also last a week or so and are just as delicious re-steamed or heated in the oven with more cheese melted on top the next day. So, fill up your steamer and impress your people.

Do you make tamales? What’s your filling jam? I have a feeling this is just the beginning of my tamale making obsession.

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