Tamales de rajas con queso
Poblano and cheese tamales
Tamales de rajas con queso: corn-husk tamales of roasted poblano strips, tomato and fresh cheese, central Mexico
On the evening of 2 November, after the graveyard visit, many families in central Mexico sit down to a pot of steaming tamales, and rajas con queso is the meat-free favourite at every tamalera's stall. Soft, fluffy masa beaten with fat until it floats wraps a filling of charred poblano strips, a spoon of tomato salsa and a finger of melting cheese. Fresh Mexican cheeses such as queso Oaxaca or panela are often made with animal rennet; choose a vegetarian mozzarella-style cheese if that matters to you. The masa here uses vegetable shortening rather than lard. Chef's tip: test the beaten masa by dropping a pinch into cold water; when it floats, it is light enough.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the masa
- 7 oz vegetable shorteningat room temperature
- 16 oz masa harina for tamales
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 ½ cups warm vegetable stock
For the filling
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 white onionthinly sliced
- 3 ripe tomatoesblended with 1 garlic clove
- 9 oz queso Oaxaca or vegetarian mozzarellacut into fingers
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Soak the 24 dried corn husks in hot water for 30 minutes, weighed down with a plate, until soft and pliable.
30 minStep 2: Char the 4 poblano peppers over a gas flame or under a hot grill, turning, until blackened all over. Sweat them in a covered bowl 10 minutes, then rub off the skins, remove seeds and cut into strips.
20 minStep 3: Fry the 1 white onion in 1 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft, add the poblano strips and the blended 3 ripe tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes until thick and jammy. Season and cool.
15 minStep 4: Beat the 7 oz vegetable shortening with an electric mixer for 3 minutes until white and fluffy. Mix 16 oz masa harina for tamales, 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder and 1 ½ tsp salt, then beat it in alternately with the warm 2 ½ cups warm vegetable stock until the dough is like soft hummus. Beat 5 minutes more until a pinch floats in cold water. A common mistake is skipping this beating, which gives dense, heavy tamales.
12 minStep 5: Pat a husk dry, smooth side up. Spread 2 heaped tablespoons of masa in a thin layer over the wide top two-thirds, leaving a border. Lay a spoon of rajas and a finger of 9 oz queso Oaxaca or vegetarian mozzarella down the middle, fold the sides over to enclose, then fold the pointed tail up.
25 minStep 6: Stand the tamales upright, open end up, in a steamer basket over 5 cm of water; tuck spare husks over the top and cover tightly.
5 minStep 7: Steam over a medium heat for 60–75 minutes, topping up with boiling water as needed. They are done when the masa peels cleanly away from the husk; if it sticks, steam 10 minutes more. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
75 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tamales de rajas con queso take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 75 minutes to prepare and 75 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 vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 gluten-free baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
- What can I use instead of warm vegetable stock?
- Chicken stock, same amount (not vegetarian).
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