Poaching the Chicken
Blanching Tomatoes
Preparing the Masa
Kneading the Masa
Spreading Masa on Corn Husks
Tieing Tamales
Steaming Tamales

Ingredients You Will Need

One package of Corn Husks
3 boxes of Lard
2 pounds of Masa
6 dried California Chilis
One whole chicken
One onion
Dried oregano
Cumin
Bay leaf
Garlic
Baking powder
Salt
3 tomatoes

Equipment You Will Need

2 Large bowls, one for soaking corn husks, one for mixing masa
2 Stock pots, one for cooking chicken and one for steaming tamales
Food processor or blender
Strainer
Large wooden spoon
Large cutting board or work surface for kneading masa
Steamer

Step 2. Soaking Corn Husks

Separate the husks out individually as you take them out of the package.

Fill a large bowl with water and place corn husks in the bowl, pressing down to submerge all husks. Set aside.

Step 3. Cooking the Chiles

Place the chiles in a medium saucepan and add water to just cover the chiles. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 4. Preparing the Tomatoes

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and set aside. With a paring knife, cut an x into the bottom of the tomatoes, making a shallow cut just through the skins. When water is boiling, add the tomatoes and boil for 30 seconds or until the skins start to come away from the meat of the tomatoes. Remove from the boiling water and immediately place them into the ice water. Peel the tomatoes and set aside.

Step 5. Melt the Lard

Place the contents of 3 boxes of lard in a large saucepan and heat over low heat until all the lard has melted. Remove from heat.

Step 6. Make the Sauce

Add the chiles and the liquid to a food processor or blender. Add the tomatoes, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process or blend the mixture until completely blended. Strain the sauce through a strainer and adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.

Step 7. Shred the Chicken

Remove the cooked chicken from the pot, reserving the broth. Let cool. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove all meat from the bones, shredding the meat pieces. Place on a plate and set aside.

Step 8. Preparing the Chicken Filling

Heat 2 Tablespoons melted lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 minced onion to the skillet and saute until onion is translucent. Add shredded chicken and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. Pour in about 3/4 cup sauce and 1/4 cup of the reserved chicken broth. Add enough liquid to cover all chicken and to give the mixture a saucy consistency. Cook for about 5 minutes, until all ingredients are nicely blended. Adjust seasonings to taste. Remove from heat.

Step 9. Making the Masa

Add two pounds of masa flour, 1/3 cup baking powder and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Pour in about 2 cups of liquid lard and mix. The consistency should be a little floury and dry. Add about one half to one cup chicken broth and mix until consistency is more like dough. (This takes a little practice, but you will be able to tell if you need to add more liquid or not. If you think the dough is too dry, add a little more lard or broth; if you think the dough is too wet, add a little more masa flour) Pour contents of bowl onto a cutting board or a large work surface and knead and mix strenuously. The masa dough should not stick to your hands. Taste the dough and add more salt if necessary. Scoop the masa back into the bowl.

Step 10. Making the Tamales

Remove the corn husks from the water and rinse to remove any silks; drain. Have ready the masa, chicken mixture and corn husks. Place a corn husk on a work surface.



Take about 2 Tablespoons of the masa and spread it into the center of the husks. Flatten and spread it, keeping it about 1" from the edges.



Add a heaping spoonful of the chicken mixture to the center of the masa. The masa should be able to completely surround the chicken mixture. Fold the sides towards the center to loosen the masa from the husk and to fold the masa over the chicken mixture. Fold one long side over and then the other so that it creates a roll. Take a separate husk and rip it into 1/4" strips lengthwise.

Tie both ends of the tamale with the strips. Repeat until all tamales are finished.

Step 11. Steaming the Tamales

Place a steamer in the bottom of a large stockpot with about an inch of water. Place all the tamales into the pot. The tamales should not touch the water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and steam for 1-1/2 hours. The tamales are done when the masa easily separates from the husks and has changed in texture. Remove tamales from the pot and eat right away or they can be frozen and reheated. To reheat, simply steam them until they are hot. Serve your tamales with salsa.