- Sweet Potato Tamales
12 to 15 tamales
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
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
1 hour. Scoop flesh from sweet potatoes
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. 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
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
1-inch depth. Remove tamales and let stand at least
minutes before serving. Nutritional analysis per tamale.
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.