Tamale

Mexican food · corn · ancient recipe · wrapped treats

Corn dough magic. Tamales are made from masa, which is corn dough created through a special process called nixtamalization that makes the corn easier to grind and more nutritious.

Wrapped and steamed. The masa filling gets wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves, then steamed until it cooks perfectly. The wrapper keeps everything moist and tender inside.

Fill it how you like. You can stuff a tamale with meat, cheese, fruit, vegetables, herbs, or spicy chilies, depending on what flavors sound amazing to you.

Ancient Mesoamerican food. Tamales come from the Mesoamerican civilizations of Mexico and Central America, where people have been making them for hundreds of years.

Unwrap or eat it all. Some people peel off the corn husk wrapper before eating, while others use it as an edible plate that keeps their hands clean.