Ingredients:
  • 1 can (8 oz) of refried red beans
  • 2 cups of masa (MASECA)
  • 6 cups of water
  • 1/2 cup of corn oil 
  • 2 Maggi chicken flavor cubes 
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube.
  • 2 Tbsp. of cumin
  • Platano Leaves, soaked in water to make soft
  • Aluminum Foil
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                                                         TAMALES PISQUES 
Directions: 
  • Soak frozen platano leaves in warm water to soften
  • When leaves are soft, cut them into medium size squares (see pictures at bottom to get an idea of the size)
  • Cut about 30 squares
  • Rip off about 30 medium size sheets of foil (see pictures at bottom to get an idea of the size)
To Make the Masa:
  • Pour 4 cups of water and 2 cups of masa into a large cast-iron pan.  
  • Using your hands, mix the masa together with the water and use your hands to get out all clumps in the masa.
  • Turn a burner on high and our the other 2 cups of water into a new saucepan and add the 2 Maggi seasoning cubes and 1 chicken bullion cube. 
  • Place the saucepan with the seasoning on the burner and bring to boil until the seasoning cubes have dissolved.
  • Pour the hot seasoning water into the cast-iron pan with the rest of the water and masa, stirring quickly.
  • Add the 1/2 cup of oil and cumin and continue to stir.
  • Turn the burner to medium-low and stir the masa mix continuously until masa becomes thick. 
  • Turn off heat and remove cast-iron pot with masa from the burner. 
  • Leave masa in pan so it can continue to cook. 
To Form the Tamales:
  • 4 big spoons of masa in the center of the plantain leaf.
  • 1-2 spoonfuls of refried beans in center of the masa.
  • Roll the platano leaf over the masa to cover it
  • Roll the foil over the plantain leaf to cover it
  • Repeat this until you have used up all the masa :).
  • Place foiled tamales in a tamale steamer and steam for around 30 minutes.  See link for a good affordable tamale steamer on the bottom of this recipe :)
  • After 30 minutes, turn off stove but leave tamales in steamer so they can steam another 30 minutes.
  • Finally, remove foiled tamales from pan and place in fridge.
  • Serve tamales with curtido, link for curtido recipe here.

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