Lime Zest Tamales Mexican Recipe

Lime Zest Tamales Mexican Recipe

Ingredients

Recipe for: Tamal de Limon

Makes ABOUT 2 DOZEN

• 30 dried cornhusks
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 cups masa harina
• green food coloring (optional)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons grated lime zest
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Rinse the cornhusks under cold water, place them in a bowl, and cover with boiling water (put a plate on top and weight it with a large can to keep them submerged)
2. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, or until soft
3. In a bowl, combine the butter, shortening, and sugar with your hands or in a mixer with the paddle attachment until very creamy
4. Add the masa and mix well (it’ll look a bit like coarse meal)
5. Combine a few drops of the food coloring with 3 tablespoons of the milk, then add that and the rest of the milk gradually while mixing until incorporated
6. Stir in the lime zest and salt
7. Drain the cornhusks and scoop about ¼ cup of the batter into a husk, spreading it with the back of a spoon and leaving at least 1 inch all around (a little more on the long sides)
8. If the husks are too small or broken, put two together and overlap them
9. Fold one of the long sides toward the center, and then fold the other long side on top
10. Tuck the exposed sides underneath; if they are still too small, wrap the tamale in another husk and tie it with a thin strip of husk (this isn’t necessary but is just an extra precaution)
11. Repeat to use up all the batter
12. Fill a pot with enough hot water to reach just underneath, but not touching, a steamer (you can use the collapsible kind if you don’t have a special pot)
13. Cover the bottom of the steamer with leftover cornhusks and arrange the tamales vertically, standing them up so they rest against one another
14. Cover with any remaining leaves or scraps, cover with a lid, and cook over medium heat until the tamales slide out of the wrappers, 1 to 1½ hours
15. Add more boiling water to the bottom pot as needed to make sure water reaches the bottom of the steamer
16. Serve warm
17. The tamales can be stored in the freezer, wrapped tightly, for up to 3 months

Full List of Dessert Recipes
Full List of Tamale Recipes