Chile-Spiced Sweet Potato Tamales |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 1 |
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These sweet potato tamales get a spicy kick with chiles. Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter, at room temperature |
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar |
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon |
1 1/2 pounds garnet or jewel sweet potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise |
1/4 cup lard or additional butter |
1 cup fat-skimmed chicken broth |
1 1/4 cups dehydrated masa flour |
1 tablespoon baking powder |
2 canned chipotle chiles, drained and minced |
salt and fresh-ground pepper |
20 dried corn husks, soaked (see notes) |
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set sweet potato halves, cut side up, in a baking dish, and rub cut sides equally with butter mixture. Bake in a 350° oven until soft when pressed, about 1 hour.
2. Scoop flesh from sweet potatoes (discard skins) into a bowl; mash with a fork until smooth.
3. In a 1- to 2-quart pan over low heat, melt lard. Pour in chicken broth and stir until warm. Add broth mixture to sweet potatoes; mix well. Gradually add masa flour, stirring until well blended. Stir in baking powder and chipotles and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Tear 3 or 4 corn husks into long, thin strips. Lay a whole husk flat on a work surface, smooth side down, with one long edge closest to you. Spoon a scant 1/3 cup filling lengthwise down center of husk. Fold bottom edge over filling and roll up tamale. Tie each end with a thin strip of husk. Repeat until all filling is used.
5. In an 8- to 10-quart pan, position a rack at least 1 inch above 1 inch of water; bring to a boil over high heat. Set tamales on rack, lower heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and steam until filling is firm, about 1 hour, adding water to pan as needed to maintain 1-inch depth. Remove tamales and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.
6. Nutritional analysis per tamale.
7. NOTES: Dried corn husks are available in some well-stocked supermarkets and in Mexican markets. Before using, separate husks and discard silks; soak husks in hot water until pliable, about 20 minutes. You will need about 15 large, well-shaped husks for the tamales and 3 to 4 to tear into strips for tying, but we suggest soaking a few extra in case some tear in the process. You can make and steam the tamales up to a day ahead; cover and chill. Reheat in steamer 15 to 20 minutes.
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