Easy Tamales

From the author, Toni Okamoto: For as long as I can remember, around Christmas time, someone in my extended family has made tamales to share with us all. They spend hours (and sometimes days) in the kitchen with labor of love. And it’s not just my family, I know it’s a tradition for many other of our Mexican-American friends and family, too.

I was so sad when I became vegan because I thought I’d be giving up on my family and cultural traditions, but thankfully, I was so wrong! For the past five or six years, I’ve been trying many vegan recipes and tweaking them here and there to come up with something that saves time in the kitchen, while also not compromising much of the taste and texture. Here’s what I’ve come up with!

First things first, before we dive into the logistics of making tamales, I need to clarify something important. When you’re talking about the singular of tamales, it’s not “tamale,” it’s “tamal.” Example: “Hey honey, can you please serve me an extra tamal.” Mind-blowing, I know! My husband, a native English speaker who speaks Spanish fluently, couldn’t believe it.

Oil vs. Shortening

To be honest, I like them both. I’m adding oil as the first option because it’s always available in most kitchens, and it will get the job done. But traditionally, they are made with lard, and I find that shortening is the more similar replacement.

Filling Possibilities

My favorite filling for tamales is the classic store-bought soyrizo (a chorizo made from soy!) with sliced jalapeños and a bit of vegan cheese, I encourage you to try it! It’s so good! But, if you don’t have any or you simply want to try different fillings, then you have many fantastic choices. You could add some sliced jalapeños for a spicy kick or vegan cheese to make it richer and creamier. Or you could add both, a perfect combo!

What about a homemade filling? You can saute black beans, steamed sweet potato with onions and cumin for a healthy and protein-filled add on. Your jackfruit carnitas leftovers would also be a dreamy tamal companion. If you have another favorite way to stuff your tamales, let us know in the comments.

Here’s the filling that our photographer, Alfonso, created for the photos:

• 1 tablespoon of neutral oil
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup of vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon of hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan, heat the oil. Saute the onion and garlic until they’re tender, add the sweet potato, cumin, and paprika and saute for another minute. Add the remaining ingredients, cook on medium-high heat for one minute, cover, and then lower to a simmer for 10 minutes. If the potato is still firm, steam for another five minutes.

This recipe stores in the refrigerator for up to a week. It is great for batch cooking and freezing.

Recommended Equipment:

• 9×13 Baking Dish or Pan
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• My favorite knives
• Electric Mixer
• Whisk
• Stockpot
• Steamer

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

Ingredients

• 1 package of dried corn husks
• 6 cups of corn masa flour
• 6 cups of rich vegetable broth (I used bouillon or better than bouillon + water)
• ¾ cup of vegetable oil (any neutral oil will work) OR veg shortening at room temp
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• Batch of filling

Method