Tamales de Pollo En Salsa Verde

Process

1. Note: this allows steaming-to-cook the day before and just reheating (in microwave or steamer) on the day of
2. Note: this makes 4 tamales, 2 portions
3. Prep:
   1. Salsa Verde: Salsa Verde
   2. Poach the chicken and shred
   3. Cut 4 baking paper rectangles (1 per tamale), 30cm x 22cm
4. Filling:
   1. Mix the chicken and salsa verde
   2. Simmer for 2-4 minutes until very thick
   3. Taste for salt
   4. Set aside, allow to cool slightly. Should be thick enough to hold shape when spooned. Must be low-liquid at this point.
5. Dough
   1. Mix the masa, salt, baking powder, sugar
   2. Whisk together the oil and stock, then beat into the masa - beating for at least 60-90 seconds. The stock should be hot, not warm (70-80C). Add the stock gradually until the dough is soft, holds shape, doesn’t crack when pressed
   3. *** Rest 5 minutes ***
   4. Add a little of the chicken mixture into the dough
   5. Brief remix - 10-15 seconds
   6. *** Rest 5 minutes ***
6. Assemble
   1. In each baking paper:
      1. Spread 1/4th of the masa in a small rectangle (~ 16x9cm)
      2. Add 1/4th filling (should be approx 30g per tamale at most) down the middle (leaving 3cm of masa each side of the filling zone). Too much filling will mean the tamale can’t close.
      3. Fold the baking paper left->right, covering the entire masa+filling -- the masa should kinda roll over itself so that the edges meet and lightly overlap, and the filling becomes fully enclosed
         1. NOTE: I couldn’t really get this to work properly. In the end I just used the baking paper to roll them, never mind the left and right folds..
      4. Fold right side across fully, covering the first fold.
      5. Then fold bottom up, top down (but loosely). Optionally tie it loosely - should just be to keep it folded not a constraint.
      6. The tamale is now a sealed tidy packet with nothing exposed.
      7. WARNING: the log must not be more than 3.5cm diameter or it won’t cook properly.
7. Steam (Initial cook):
   1. Make sure there is enough water - running out will disrupt the cook entirely
   2. Rice cooker steamer; either 4 logs adjacent, or two on top of two crosswise and switch them half way.
   3. 46 minutes, flip top and bottom half way
   4. Trust the time.
8. Rest and store
   1. Unwrap immediately
   2. Rest until room temperature - at least 15 minutes required. 
   3. Paper towel at bottom of tupperware, tamales side by side, fridge
9. Reheat
   1. Microwave
      1. Wrap in baking paper
      2. Put on a plate
      3. Cover with a damp tea towel
      4. Microwave on high 90-120 for all tamales, or approx 75s for 2 tamales.
      5. Rest 20 seconds before opening.
   2. Steamer
      1. Wrap loosely again in baking paper
      2. Steam 8 minutes
      3. Unwrap immediately, rest 2 minutes

Notes

46 minutes came out pretty well