Basic Masa Dough for Tamales
Yield: Makes enough for about 3 dozen small tamales
Use this dough in the recipe for Fresh Corn Tamales.
Ingredients
PreparationIngredients
- 3 cups Bob's Red Mill masa harina (masa flour) Add to list
- 2 cups warm water Add to list
- 1 1/2 cups butter or Spectrum unhydrogenated shortening Add to list
- 1 to 2 cups chicken, pork or vegetable stock (If you are making a meat filling, by all means use the liquid obtained when cooking the meat!) Add to list
- 1 teaspoon baking powder Add to list
- 1 tablespoon salt or to taste (you may need less if your stock is very salty) Add to list
Preparation
Mix the masa harina with the warm water to form a stiff, moist dough. Add a little additional water if the dough is too crumbly.
Place the butter or shortening in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. With the paddle attachment on high, whip for 1 minute, or until it's fluffy. Lower the speed to medium and add the masa dough alternately with 1 cup stock, the baking powder and salt. Beat until well mixed.
Return the mixer to high and whip for 1 to 2 minutes, or until masa resembles the consistency of Spackle. If necessary, add additional stock, 1/4 cup at a time, until the correct consistency is attained. The dough should be soft but workable, like a thick, fluffy cake batter.
Drop approximately 1/2 teaspoon masa into a cup of cold water. If the masa floats it's ready; if it sinks, continue whipping for another minute. Repeat this "float test" until the sample masa floats.
Recipe by , PCC Chef
Source: Demonstrated on KING 5's "Gardening with Ciscoe" show, which aired on August 6, 2011.
ABOUT OUR CHEF: Lynne Vea
Lynne Vea is a graduate of the Executive Chef Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and has been cooking with PCC Natural Markets since 2001. Featured on King-5’s "Gardening with Ciscoe," she demonstrates easy and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients.
Lynne is an admired PCC Cooks instructor, teaching a variety of popular PCC Cooks classes throughout the year.
She loves to collect old cookbooks, hunt for wild berries, and cook seven-course dinners where the guests are encouraged to dance and cavort between courses.
Find more recipes from Lynne.
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