# Anybody said TAMALES ???



## tzotzil (Sep 12, 2011)

Hello,
hope this helps :

-Mole Oaxaqueño
-1 kg Flour
-Lard(1/4 kg)
-Water or Chicken stock(no fat)
-Corncob leaves(7 dozens)
- 1 spoonful salt

Wait for the water or chicken stock to be colder ,otherwise it will mess the flour and the mix.
Knead the flour with the melted lard and the chicken stock just enough until mixed to get a not very thick dough. 
Mud the leaves(not too much),mud the Mole Oaxaqueño then add the shred chicken.Fold the leaves.
Put the raw tamales (vertical position)in a steamer and put it on the stove for 1 hour.


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## Luca Lazzari (Sep 12, 2011)

Thank you tzotzil.
In a few minutes I discovered the existence of some unknown entities: the Mole Oaxaqueño, the Tamales, and the using of the corncob leaves for cooking/eating! 
I  Think I'll go in the new latin american grocery near my home to look for some mole, just to taste it.


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## buckytom (Sep 12, 2011)

welcome tzot.

is oaxaqueno mole a regional thing, or is it a specific recipe?

could you provide one, por favor?


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## tzotzil (Sep 12, 2011)

You are welcome ,Luca.

I advice you to look for the several kinds of Mole.
Black,Red,Yellow,Green.
You know , in the ancient native Mexican food there are many elements that include Chocolate,Corn ,Tomato,Vanilla,Avocado and Chili.

Best regards.


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## tzotzil (Sep 12, 2011)

Hello and Thanks ,Bucky.

The Mole itself is another dish ; El Mole Oaxaqueño is indeed regional.
There is also Mole Poblano, and others.

There are even different kinds and colors of  Mole according to the regions and the chili sauce used.

Sure , I will be writing one of the recipes for making Mole. Keep in touch.

Regards.


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## Luca Lazzari (Sep 12, 2011)

tzotzil said:


> You are welcome ,Luca.
> 
> I advice you to look for the several kinds of Mole.
> Black,Red,Yellow,Green.
> ...



I'll try to find them, even if a recipe could be helpful... 

And thank you for the historical info, I appreciate them. I knew nothing about mexican avocado and vanilla...


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## buckytom (Sep 12, 2011)

i saw the recipe. muchos gracias, tzot.


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## giggler (Sep 12, 2011)

No, I humbly dissagree with this...

This recipe is wrong for Tamales..

Mole is a whole other thing..

and Tamales are not made with flour!

look, I'm from Austin Tx. and don't really know how to pronounce Ouaca...

But this recipe for Tamales is not correct..

Sorry Tzot...

Eric, Austin Tx.


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## buckytom (Sep 12, 2011)

how is it wrong, giggler?


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## Janet H (Sep 12, 2011)

buckytom said:


> how is it wrong, giggler?


  Typical Tamale dough uses masa harina or Nixtamal (both primarily corn flour), chicken stock, lard and some seasoning like cumin, salt, chile pwd and onion pwd.

Here's a really good explanation of the process
Tamales 1, 2, 3 - YouTube


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## tzotzil (Sep 12, 2011)

Hi,giggler,
I appreciate your comment, although I supposed I mentioned "easy" way to make the tamales.
If we go back to the history there is not a REAL MEXICAN TAMAL that can be made nowadays.
For example, it is gonna be impossible to stuff the Tamales with the same meats that the Aztecas sometimes used (I prefer not to recall that). 
Applying the Mole Oaxaqueño is only to give a touch of that region. 
OF COURSE ,THE MOLE WAS INVENTED IN THE TIMES OF THE COLONY BY SOME NUNS.
Speaking about the making of the "masa":
At the present time it is gonna be difficult that a housewife prepare the "masa" as the ancient Mexican used to do: smashing the SENTLI (Corn) and using the METATE.
In your video it is even used machines for making the mix. 

Other example:
Surely you,as well as me , are a chocolate lover, but we are not enjoying the XOCOLATL as the emperor Moctezuma used to enjoy it: cold,with water,CHILI,and sometimes honey and vanilla. 
Not to mention that we are not even able to taste the chocolate as the OLMECAS did 3,000 years ago. 

In the matter of Tamales there are several types of Tamales; here I am showing one of the kind that can be made with ease by the friends of this site everywhere in the world.

If my fellas here allow me, I will be writing more about the wide variety of Mexican Traditional and non traditional recipes

However, thanks,and hopefully you are helpful too to be keeping this important legacy.

Best regards.


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## tzotzil (Sep 12, 2011)

thanks for your post, l already posted some to giggler.
Something about history.


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## tzotzil (Sep 12, 2011)

you welcome Luca. 
I'll be writing more of traditional and non traditional recipes.

Thanks.


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## buckytom (Sep 12, 2011)

thanks janet and tzot.

i kinda knew tamales were a corn thing, so i assumed it was a corn flour.


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## Timothy (Sep 13, 2011)

I suspect that the only difference of opinion is as a result of language use.

tzotzil's native language doesn't seem to be English, so the translation into English is sometimes not what native English speakers might use as a phrase or word.

Such as "Corncob leaves" instead of the "Corn Husks" that most native English speaking people know them as.

Flour, by definition is a powder which is made from grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots (like Cassava).

Corn (maize) flour is popular in the Southern and Southwestern US, Mexico, Central America, and Punjab regions of India and Pakistan, where it called as Makkai Ka Atta. Coarse whole-grain corn flour is usually called corn meal. Finely ground corn *flour* that has been treated with food-grade lime is called masa harina (see masa) and is used to make tortillas and *tamales* in Mexican cooking. Corn flour should never be confused with cornstarch, which is known as "cornflour" in British English.

So far, I've seen people here that are from Italy, Mexico, Germany, Asia, USA, Spain and Canada.

I wish I knew more than one language! I want to buy the "Rosetta Stone" for Latin Spanish, but haven't yet convinced myself that I can learn the language that way.

The language differences are very well adapted into English, as a common language between all of these countries. There are bound to be some slight differences in how some items are named.

I think the recipe given was exactly as it is made in Mexico, it's just a few words that are different between languages.


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## tzotzil (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks ,Tim.

You've got it,my friend.

It's something like to say "ordenador" as in Spain, "computadora" in Latinamerica, or "pc" in USA.

Sometimes it surprises me the translation of my chicano fellas saying "pagando pa' tras"  for the English phrase "paying back" .

When the CACAHUATL - CACAO- was taken from Mexico to Europe, they called it "Cocoa". 



I'll be taking note and hope to remember in the furure those words and phrases that the people use in English.
Like "corn husks" . Ok


Best regards.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks for the recipes. I'm looking forward to seeing more from you.


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## tzotzil (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks a lot ,purple. Keep in touch.


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