How To Make Panamanian Tamales Food

REAL HOMEMADE TAMALES

Steps:

• Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.
• Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chile pods. Place chiles in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chiles and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in one cup of the chile sauce.
• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough.
• Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center. Fold the sides of the husks in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour.
• Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chile sauce over. Top with sour cream. For a creamy sauce, mix sour cream into the chile sauce.

PAN TAMALES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat together margarine and masa with a hand mixer until well combined, adding water as needed.
• Add salt and sugar and enough water to make a thick batter (the consistancy should be somewhere between cookie dough and cake batter).
• Pour half of the batter into an ungreased 8"x8" square pan.
• Spread the meat over the first layer, then spread the rest of the batter on top.
• Cover pan with foil.
• Place the pan into another, larger pan.
• Pour hot water into the bottom pan so that the smaller pan is about 1/4"-1/2" submerged.
• Place pans into a 350 degree oven.
• Bake in water bath for 50 minutes, then allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.
• Slice and serve with beans and rice, and sauce, if desired.

TAMAL DE OLLA-PANAMA

Steps:

• Marinate the chicken with salt, pepper and oregano for at least 1 hour. Heat the oil over medium low heat in a big pan and add the annato seeds if using them. Add onion, peppers and garlic. Turn the heat and add the chicken to brown whilst adding the wine and vinegar little by little.
• Add the tomato sauce puree, turn the heat down and let it simmer for about 1.5 hours with the hot chili pepper.Check the seasoning adding salt and pepper if needed and the capers and olives for the last 10 minutes.Take the chicken out, debone and skin it and put the meat back into the pan. Make the polenta according to package instructions, but using ¾ water and 1/4 chicken sauce . Put the tamal in a baking dish and bake for a further 20 minutes at gas mark 375º F.