Cheesy Zucchini Tamales
Tamales (pl.): masa-wrapped, cheesy-vegetable goodness cooked in a corn husk. The actual nomenclature is a hotly debated issue, but I will chalk it up to import error and just give y’all both terms! Spanish singular: tamal; English singular: tamale.
Tamales really are such a treat. They are often considered to be extremely difficult to make, but honestly, this recipe did not take us more than two hours. Many tamales have meat fillings, which require extensive cooking of their own, and that is what makes them so difficult. This vegetarian version doesn’t require nearly as much time.
As a history buff, I can’t neglect the tamal’s incredible origins. This is such a cool food in that you can truly see its origins (even in the modern dish). Aztec and Mayan populations are known to have eaten tamales. You can imagine corn being picked and milled for flour, with the husks being saved for later use. Clearly, this dish is about utilizing every bit of a plant, and this was a great technique for doing so.
In ancient Mesoamerican cooking a common technique for steaming involved digging a pit in the ground, lighting a fire, and covering the food with brush and leaves to let it slowly cook. Many people still use this technique today all across the globe, and there are tons of names for it: the New Zealand hangi, Samoan umu, Mayan pib, and the Peruvian huatia. Although today most of us will use a steamer or double boiler to cook tamales after they are wrapped, the ancient technique of using the corn husk remains.
Cheesy Zucchini Tamales
Ingredients
For the masa dough
- 2 sticks salted butter
- 4 cups masa harina
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground pequin chiles OR chili powder
- 4 cups vegetable broth
For the filling
- 2 zucchini, diced
- 6 green onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cilantro bunches, minced
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground pequin chile OR chili powder
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
For assembly and cooking
- 30 corn husks
- string poultry string works well here
- steamer OR pasta pot and large colander
Instructions
Soak the corn husks
-
Place the corn husks in a large bowl filled with water.
-
Weigh them down and let them soak for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the masa dough
-
Take the butter out to soften.
-
Mix the farina, baking powder, salt, cumin, and ground pequin chile (or chili powder) in a large bowl.
-
Using a pastry blender, combine the butter and the dry ingredients, until the butter is integrated and about the size of peas.
-
Slowly add in the vegetable broth until everything is combined. Let rest.
Prepare the filling
-
Combine the zucchini, green onions, and garlic in a large skillet with the olive oil. Sauté over medium head for 3 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and the zucchini is tender.
-
Add in the vegetable broth and stir.
-
Prepare the cilantro, tomatoes, and lime juice. Then, add them into the pan, stirring well.
-
Add the cumin and pequin chile and stir well.
-
Continue cooking until most of the liquid as evaporated (be patient).
-
Stir in the cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Assembly
-
Spread the center of each corn husk with a generous amount of masa dough. Use your fingers to flatten the dough if necessary.
-
Put 1-2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the masa dough.
-
Use the corn husk to shape the masa dough around the filling and gently press it into a little burrito.
-
Cover the tamal in the corn husk and wrap with string to keep it secure.
Cooking
-
In a large steam pot or pasta pot fitted with a colander, gently place the tamales over two quarts of boiling water. Be sure that the tamales are not touching the water.
-
Steam them for 90 minutes, checking periodically to ensure that you don’t lose all the water to evaporation. (If water begins to get low, simply add in more.)
-
Serve immediately, topped with chile sauce, queso fresco, or eat plain. Enjoy!
