Tamales, Guatemalan Style...

Well this was the deal, a dear sweet friend named Tita, 73 years old decided one day after we were talking that she would have her friend come over and teach me how to make these awesome Tamales... I was excited very much so.. So lol she told me be ready cause she is not going to make an appointment she will just show up and say ok lets do this..  And that's exactly what happened.. 8am in the morning she called me and told me okay get over here.

Tita's lady friend making the sauce for inside of the Tamales... smelled so good.  Sorry I don't have more photos I didn't think of it till after.. 

what she did was burn the dry Chiles in a frying pan over medium high heat.. There were three different kinds. Pasillas Guajillos and Ancho Chiles

she removed them and burned tomatoes Romas and a small piece of Onion and two cloves of Garlic

all the stems removed and placed in a blender adding water.  Blending around 10 to 15 mins.  Then putting in through a strainer then she put into a large pot adding some consomme and salt.  Also a couple tablespoons instant masa. and some vegetable oil..

cooking for a long while medium low. 

This part was easy.. 

Next came the preparation of the Masa

Using a large bag of instant Masa flour.  She started by adding a portion to a large plastic container 

adding good quanity of broth from the meats, and water, mixing with her hands adding more water so it basically was like soup.. put it into the large pot over the stove.  Then making another one. . Again adding all the masa mixing very well it was a large pot of thick soup like texture.

Also adding some consomme and salt and a large amount of Vegetable oil about half the bottle.  Stirring and stirring and stirring for a long period of time till it formed like a mush consistancy not thick at all thin.. 

She removed it from the stove and it sat as we prepared the banana leaves. 

 ( Tita lives in a very tiny Cottage house )

( Nice)

She earlier before I got there boiled some Pork chunks and small pieces of chicken seperately in different pots.  

She also had prepared some sliced red bell pepper and sliced serrano chiles. 

 

 Banana leaves were taken out of the large packages and washed and cut to a nice size to put the fixings for the Tamales.  She washed them several times and removed some of the edging which were like a thick seam. 

They also use a special white paper for making Tamales that wraps over the banana leaf...they come large in size and she cut them in half...

After preparing the paper and banana leaves.  You can now add a scoop of Masa to the leave. 

Then your two small pieces of chicken and large spoonful of the sauce you prepared and then the red piece of bell pepper and the chili.. 

For me I like dulce which is sweet.. so she had some prunes and raisins put them in some warm for a few minutes to soften them.. I also love chili but these days with my Gall bladder I can't have it.. 

This was mine.. It was a small challange cause I never made these kind.. I have made Mexican ones with corn husk.. but she held them in her hand and made them.. I had to go find a counter not being used to doing it .. It was fun making them learning something new.. and trying to improve on my spanish which isn't to good lol.. I think I understand more than I can speak.. Lol and there were actually some moments I didn't understand a darn word she said to me.. but got the just of it later when she showed me..

Terrible I should know and speak well but I guess cause I have been around it and then to shy to speak it.. but lol in my older age I'm not as shy.

 

now just to tie them up so they don't come open when steaming them... Can't wait to see the results

Later Tita remember where the string was lol.. it works better than tying them with the banana leaves in my opinion.. so half ways through.. Tita's friend said I will make and wrap and you tie.. so we got a lot done in a faster time.. fun fun fun.. You couldn't get more closer to authentic Tamales from Guatemala..

The Real Deal

Very very nice.. soft and moist sweet but savory.. YUM.. I love the prunes and raisins.. The sauce was awesomely tasteful.. The perfect Tamale.

So I will try to make them on my own soon.  I think I have it all in check.. I told you all this from memory.

I tried to take some notes.. But Latin people do not measure nothing.. Least not the ones that I have had the pleasure in meeting..

So wonderful this day I spent with Ms Tita wonderful woman From El Salvador, and Tita's friend, sweet loving and kind

Thank you so much Tita and thank your Lady friend

Next I will learn soon I hope to make Salvadorean Tamales, some what the same but different.. 

I hope you enjoy this post and visiting.. 

with 

  much

    love

   Janice

Now some tea in my new Teapot and cup.. 

Next a recipe from more than fifty years ago that Mama gave me

For Banana bread

wink, you will love