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Tamalitos verdes
Tamalitos verdes: northern Peru's green tamales of fresh corn and coriander with a fresh cheese centre
Bright green from a whole bunch of coriander, tamalitos verdes are the morning snack of Chiclayo and Trujillo, sold warm at market stalls and bakeries and unwrapped at the table with a heap of salsa criolla on top. Fresh corn is ground with coriander, onion and ají amarillo into a soft dough, wrapped around a strip of fresh cheese in corn husks and steamed. They should be tender, moist and herby, with a slightly sweet corn flavour and a salty melting middle. Traditional ones are made with lard; this version uses vegetable oil to stay vegetarian. The classic problem is a dough that's too wet, which makes the tamales fall apart; the starchy Peruvian choclo is ideal, and if you use sweet corn, add the cornmeal to firm it up. Queso fresco is usually made with animal rennet, so look for a vegetarian fresh cheese. Chef's tip: keep the steamer water at a steady simmer and top it up with boiling water, never cold, so the steam never stops.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling and wrapping
For the salsa criolla
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Blend 1 ¾ lb fresh corn kernels with 2 ⅛ oz coriander leaves in batches into a thick, coarse green paste, adding no water. Scrape down the sides often.
5 minStep 2: Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook 1 onion until soft, 5 minutes. Add 2 cloves garlic and 2 tbsp ají amarillo paste and fry for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
7 minStep 3: Add the green corn paste and 1 ½ tsp salt and cook, stirring all the time, until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan, 8–10 minutes. If it is still sloppy, stir in 2 ⅛ oz fine yellow cornmeal and cook for 2 minutes more.
10 minStep 4: Spread the mixture on a tray and let it cool until you can handle it, about 10 minutes.
10 minStep 5: Overlap 2 24 corn husks, spoon about 80 g of dough into the middle and press a strip of 5 ½ oz queso fresco into it. Fold the dough over the cheese, then fold in the sides and ends of the husks to make a parcel. Tie with a thin strip of husk. Repeat to make 12.
Step 6: Stand the tamales upright or lay them in layers in a steamer over simmering water. Cover and steam until the dough is firm and comes away cleanly from the husk, 40–45 minutes.
45 minStep 7: Meanwhile, mix 1 red onion, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 ají limo or red chilli and ¼ tsp salt for the salsa criolla.
Step 8: Let the tamales rest for 5 minutes, then serve warm in their husks with the salsa on top.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tamalitos verdes take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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