Tamales oaxaqueños

Step 1: Put 1 ½ lb boneless chicken thighs, ½ white onion, 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp salt in a pan, cover with about 1 litre of water and simmer gently until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part and pulls apart easily.

Step 2: Lift out the chicken and shred it with two forks. Strain the broth and keep 700 ml of it warm for the masa.

Step 3: Cut 1 ⅛ lb banana leaves into 16 rectangles of about 25 x 30 cm, cutting out the hard central rib. Pass each one briefly over a gas flame or a hot dry pan until it turns glossy and supple: it is ready when it bends without cracking.

Step 4: Beat 7 oz pork lard with an electric mixer on high speed until white and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Don't skip this or cut it short: under-beaten lard is the usual reason tamales come out dense and heavy.

Step 5: Mix 1 ⅛ lb masa harina (nixtamalised corn flour), 1 tsp baking powder and 2 tsp salt. Beat into the lard in three additions, alternating with 3 cups warm chicken broth, until the masa is soft like thick hummus. Beat 5 minutes more; a small ball dropped into cold water should float.

Step 6: Stir the shredded chicken into 2 ½ cups mole negro sauce so it is well coated. The filling should be thick, not runny.

Step 7: Spread about 3 tablespoons of masa into a 12 cm square in the centre of a leaf, about 5 mm thick. Spoon 2 tablespoons of mole chicken on top.

Step 8: Fold the leaf over from the long sides, then tuck the short ends underneath to make a flat parcel. Tie with kitchen string or strips of banana leaf if the parcels won't stay shut. Repeat with the rest.

Step 9: Set a steamer basket in a large pot with water below it, not touching. Layer the tamales flat or standing, cover with spare leaf scraps and a lid, and steam over a medium heat.

Step 10: Check one: they are done when the masa is firm and comes away cleanly from the leaf. If it still sticks, steam 10–15 minutes more. Rest 10 minutes before unwrapping.