Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers (45 page)

5. For each tamale, spoon about 2 generous tablespoons of filling onto the dough slightly closer to the wide edge; use about 3 chunks of seitan, a few strands each of onions and peppers, and 2 teaspoons or more of sauce.

6. Now grab both edges of the corn husk that are not covered with dough. Bring the edges toward each other and push the sides of the masa dough together to encase the filling. Gently press the tamale to form a solid shape and carefully tuck one of the edges of the corn-husk under the other. Tightly wrap the free end of the corn husk around the tamale and then fold over the tapered “tail” end of the husk on top of the tamale. (Don’t worry if any sauce leaks out of the folded tamale dough.) Take a long strip of corn husk and tie around the base of the tamale, about ½ inch from the end. Tie a tight knot to keep the wrapper from unraveling. Repeat with remaining dough, filling, and husks. When you’re tired of making tamales, it’s time to get the steamer basket ready.

7. Steam as directed for Black Bean-Sweet Potato Tamales, page 189.

1.
Hold filled tamale dough by corn-husk sides

2.
Bring sides together, pressing dough over filling

3.
Fold corn-husk sides over dough

4.
Tuck tail end of corn husk and tie tightly

Makes about two dozen tamales

 

Time: 1½ to 1 hour 45 minutes

 

 

24 large dried corn husks, plus 6 to 8
more for tying the tamales and lining
the steamer basket
1 pound potato, peeled and diced into
½-inch cubes
½ pound carrots or pumpkin, peeled
and diced
1 loaf White Steamed Seitan, finely diced,
or 1 generous cup cooked pinto beans,
rinsed
½ cup fresh or frozen green peas
(rinsed with warm water, if frozen)
1½ cups prepared Chocolate-Chile Mole
Sauce (page 51)
1 recipe Savory Vegan Masa Dough
(page 188)

 

1. Soak the corn husks in warm water and, when you’re ready to assemble the tamales, tear two or three long husks into ¼-inch-wide strips. Keep the strips in water until ready to use.

2. Prepare the filling: Boil the potatoes for 14 to 16 minutes, until tender. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the carrot, then drain and rinse with cold water. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked vegetables, seitan, peas, and Chocolate-Chile Mole Sauce, and stir to coat the vegetables completely with the sauce. Have ready the prepared dough and corn husks.

3. For each tamale, spread a generous ¼ cup of dough down the center of a pliable soaked corn husk, leaving at least 1½ inches on either end. Form an oblong shape 4 to 5 inches wide and ⅜ to ½ inch thick. Spoon about 2 generous tablespoons of mole filling onto the dough down the middle.

4. Now grab both edges of the corn husk that are not covered with dough. Bring the edges toward each other and push the sides of the masa dough together to encase the filling. Gently press the tamale to form a firm, solid tube shape. Tightly twist each end of the tamale wrapper (so it looks a little like a wrapped piece of candy) and tightly tie each end with a soaked corn-husk strip. Repeat with the remaining dough, filling, and husks.

5. Steam as directed for Black Bean-Sweet Potato Tamales (page 189).

6. Serve these tamales hot with extra Chocolate-Chile Mole Sauce plus beans, rice, or salad, if desired. To serve the tamales, you can unwrap them for your guests or let them do the honors.

•
Makes about two dozen tamales

•
Time: 1½ to 1 hour 45 minutes

 

24 large dried corn husks, plus 6 to 8
more for tying the tamales and lining
the steamer basket
1 pound zucchini or other summer or
winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut
into ¼-inch cubes
½ teaspoon salt (for summer squash only)
4 cloves garlic, minced finely
4 green onions, trimmed and chopped finely
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
(thawed and drained, if frozen)
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, cut into
½-inch pieces
½ cup fresh or frozen green peas
½ cup finely diced seeded tomato, or
¼
cup finely chopped sun-dried tomato
1 large carrot, diced into ¼-inch cubes or
grated
¼ pound waxy potato (one smallish
potato), diced into ¼-inch cubes
2 teaspoons dried oregano or dried
epazote
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ cup capers, drained
1 recipe Savory Vegan Masa Dough
(page 188)

 

1. Soak the corn husks in warm water and, when you’re ready to assemble the tamales, tear two or three long husks into ¼-inch-wide strips. Keep the strips in water until ready to use.

2. For the filling: Place the zucchini in a bowl, sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon salt, and let sit for 15 minutes. The squash will release excess water; when ready to use, rinse well and drain. Winter squash, however, does not need to be salted.

3. While the squash is draining, sauté the garlic and green onions with the olive oil in a large, deep, nonstick skillet over medium heat until the onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the squash, corn, green beans, peas, tomato, carrot, and potato. Cook and stir occasionally until the squash is slightly tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool enough to touch, and drain any excess liquid from the vegetables. Season with the oregano, cumin, and lime juice. Add the vegetables and capers to the tamale dough and gently knead the dough to distribute everything.

4. For each tamale: Scoop ⅓ cup of dough and pat into an oblong shape about 2½ inches wide and about 2 inches thick down the center of a corn husk, leaving at least 1½ inches on either end. Grab both edges of the corn husk that are not covered with dough. Bring the edges toward each other and push the sides of the masa dough together to encase the filling. Gently press the tamale to form a firm, solid, tube-like shape. Tightly twist each end of the tamale wrapper (so it looks a little like a wrapped piece of candy) and tightly tie each end with a soaked corn-husk strip. Repeat with the remaining dough, filling, and husks.

5. Steam as directed for Black Bean-Sweet Potato Tamales (page 189).

•
Makes about 16

•
Time: About 1½ hours

 

16 large dried corn husks, plus 6 to 8 more
for tying the tamales and lining the
steamer basket
⅔ cup nonhydrogenated vegan
margarine, softened
⅔ cup light brown sugar
2⅓ cups Mexican masa harina
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons whole aniseed
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 (20-ounce can) crushed canned
pineapple with juice
⅔ cup golden raisins

 

1. Soak corn husks in warm water and, when you’re ready to assemble the tamales, tear two or three long husks into ¼-inch-wide strips. Keep the strips in water until ready to use.

2. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the margarine and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, frequently scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the masa harina, baking powder, aniseed, ground cinnamon, and salt, and continue to beat until a crumbly mixture forms, about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed pineapple with its juices and beat for 3 to 5 more minutes, scraping frequently, to form a soft dough. The dough will be a little moister than savory tamale dough; if it seems too wet, stir in a few tablespoons of masa harina at a time until a desired consistency is reached. Add the raisins and knead into the dough to distribute them evenly.

3. For each tamale: Scoop ¼ to ⅓ cup of dough and spread in the center of a pliable soaked corn husk, leaving at least 1½ inches on either end. Form a square or rectangular shape about 3 inches wide and no more than ½ inch thick.

4. Grab both edges of the corn husk that are not covered with dough, bring edges toward each other, and gently fold the edges so that they overlap. Fold the long top and bottom ends of the tamale on top to form a square or squat rectangular package. Use a corn-husk strip to tie the package together in the middle, keeping the long ends of the corn husks down. Try keeping these tamales on the small side to help create this square package-like shape, but if it doesn’t work out, use the long candy wrapper-like shape with the ties at both ends (as in the Farmers’ Market Tamales, page 194). Repeat with the remaining dough, filling, and husks. When you’re almost done making them it’s time to get the steamer basket ready.