Low Fat Tamales: Preparing The Tamales

• Soak 100 large corn husks in warm water for 1 – 2 hours until soft and flexible. Take husks out of water once soft, and dry on clean towels before making tamales.
• Take 2 tablespoons of masa and spread on smooth side of a large corn husk
• Spread the masa into a thin rectangle close to the wider end of the corn husk
• Spread about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture in the middle of the masa
• Take one side of the corn husk and fold it over the meat filling
• Take the other side of the cornhusk and fold it in
• Take the pointy end of the cornhusk and fold it upwards, set prepared tamales aside
• Repeat steps 1 through 6 until all the masa and meat have been used
• Fill the bottom of a tamale pot with water and place steaming tray into the pot, or fill a pot with an inch or two of water and place a steaming basket in the pot
• (Tamales need to be steamed, they should not be boiled). Cover pot with lid.
• Heat the pot until the water starts to steam slowly and adjust heat to maintain steady slow steam.
• Place tamales standing upright into the steamer and steam for 1 to 1 1/2 hours with lid on pot until tamales are cooked. Remove tamale from pot and unwrap from corn husks. ENJOY YOUR LOW FAT TAMALES WITH SALSA, PICO DE GALLO, OR KETCHUP

This material is brought to you by the Food Bank of Corpus Christi, and was funded by USDA’s Food Stamp Program, which provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. In accordance with Federal Law and USDA policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs, or disability.