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Tamales colorados

Red tamales

Tamales colorados: Guatemala's red Christmas tamales in banana leaves

On Christmas Eve in Guatemala, families gather before midnight to eat tamales colorados, made in big batches the day before. Soft corn masa enriched with lard is filled with pork (or chicken) in a red recado sauce of tomato, dried chillies and toasted sesame and pumpkin seeds, topped with an olive, a strip of red pepper and a caper, then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. They are eaten with bread and hot ponche. Chef's tip: beat the lard into the masa until a spoonful floats in water; that is how you know the tamales will be light.
Total time
240 min
Difficulty
hard
Serves
12
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Ingredients

Serves12

For the filling

For the masa

To assemble

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (4)

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Method

0/6 done
  1. Step 1: Simmer 2 ¼ lb boneless pork shoulder in 6 ¼ cups water with 2 tsp salt for 1 hour, until tender. Lift out and keep the stock.

    60 min
  2. Step 2: Toast 3 dried guajillo chillies and 2 dried pasilla chillies in a dry pan for 30 seconds a side, then soak in hot water for 15 minutes. Toast 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds and 1 cinnamon stick until fragrant. Roast 1 ⅛ lb tomatoes and 1 red pepper under a grill until blackened.

    20 min
  3. Step 3: Blend the chillies, tomatoes, pepper, seeds, cinnamon, 1 corn tortilla and 1 tbsp achiote paste with 300 ml of the cooking stock to a smooth red sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes until thick, then add the pork.

    15 min
  4. Step 4: Beat 9 oz lard until fluffy, then gradually beat in 1 ¾ lb masa harina, 2 tsp salt and enough warm 5 cups warm pork cooking stock to make a soft dough like thick hummus. Beat for 10 minutes. A common mistake is a dry masa: it bakes up hard instead of soft and moist.

    10 min
  5. Step 5: On each of 12 banana leaves spread 4 heaped tablespoons of masa, put a piece of pork with sauce on top, then 2 24 green olives, a few 2 tbsp capers and a strip of 1 red pepper. Fold the leaf into a parcel and tie.

    40 min
  6. Step 6: Stand the tamales in a steamer over simmering water, cover with more leaves and a lid, and steam for 1½ hours, until the masa comes away cleanly from the leaf. Top up the water as needed.

    90 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
430 kcal
Protein
20 g
Carbs
38 g
Fat
22 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does tamales colorados take?
About 240 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of tomatoes?
Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
What can I use instead of red pepper?
Any colour of bell pepper, same amount.

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Perfect for:Christmas