Hola Hempⓡ Tamale Recipe

Soak husks

Place dried corn husks in a large bowl and cover with very hot water. Weigh them down with a plate so they stay submerged and soak 30 minutes to 1 hour until flexible. Drain and pat dry before assembling.

Make masa dough - step 1 (dry mix)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together masa harina, baking powder and 2 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Make masa dough - step 2 (fat & liquid)

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or a large bowl & hand mixer, beat the vegetable shortening with the neutral oil on medium speed until fluffy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the dry masa mix and alternate with warm vegetable broth, beating until a soft, slightly sticky but spreadable dough forms (about 3–5 minutes). The masa should hold together and spread easily; if too dry add up to 1/4 cup more warm broth. Taste and adjust for salt.

Prep aromatics

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced red onion and sauté 4–5 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine beans & rice

Add the cooked black beans to the skillet and stir, gently mashing about half the beans with the back of a spoon to give a creamy texture. Stir in the cooked rice, ground cumin, smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook 2–3 minutes to warm through and marry flavors.

Finish filling

Remove from heat, stir in 2 tbs lime juice and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning. The filling should be moist but not runny; if too dry, add 1–2 tbs water or vegetable broth.

Halve and pit the avocados; scoop flesh into a bowl and mash to your preferred texture (smooth or chunky). Add 2 tbs lime juice, 2 tbs minced red onion, 2 tbs chopped cilantro, minced jalapeño, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1 tsp olive oil (optional). Stir gently, taste and adjust lime or salt. Cover with plastic pressed to the surface to prevent browning until serving.

For a fresh salsa: finely dice the tomatoes and combine in a bowl with 1/2 cup chopped onion, minced jalapeño, 1 clove minced garlic, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 2 tbs lime juice, 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar if desired. Stir and let sit 10–15 minutes for flavors to meld. For a roasted salsa: roast tomatoes, jalapeño, onion and garlic on a hot skillet or under broiler until charred, then chop or pulse in a food processor with cilantro, lime juice, salt and oil to taste.

Prepare husks for assembly

Working with one husk at a time, pat dry and lay the husk flat with the tapered end pointing away from you. If a husk is very large, tear into two usable pieces; if too small, overlap two pieces. Keep soaked husks covered with a damp towel so they remain pliable while you work.

Spread masa

Using a spatula or your hand (lightly oiled), place about 1/3 to 1/2 cup masa onto the center of each husk and spread into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, leaving a 1–2 inch border on the sides and a 2 inch border at the tapered end.

Add filling

Spoon 2–3 tbs (about 1 heaping tbsp) of the bean & rice filling down the center of the masa strip, leaving room to fold. Do not overstuff; the masa should seal around the filling.

Fold & secure

Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling to enclose it, then fold the tapered end up. If needed, tie tamales by folding a small strip of husk around the bundle or use kitchen twine. Place each finished tamale seam-side down in the steamer.

Steam

Set up a steamer with at least 1–2 inches of simmering water. Stand tamales upright in the steamer basket (open ends up). Cover the top of the tamales with remaining damp husks or a wet towel to keep steam in. Steam over medium-low heat for 60–75 minutes, checking water level occasionally and adding more hot water as needed. After 60 minutes, test one tamale: masa should separate cleanly from the husk and be firm and set. If it sticks, continue steaming and check every 10 minutes.

Rest

When done, remove tamales from steamer and let rest 10 minutes before unwrapping so the masa firms slightly and the filling settles.

Serve

Serve tamales warm topped with fresh guacamole and house salsa. Garnish with extra cilantro and lime wedges if desired.