Vegan Tamales

I love Mexican food.

My southern California roots have me on a perpetual search for the creamiest refried beans, the most authentic taco & of course the perfect tamale.

I'll admit, I've always had a pound of lard lying await in my refrigerator, just in case a craving strikes.

However...

Making a big batch of tamales is the most perfect way to spend a chilly day indoors.

(We are in the midst of a nasty noreaster, here on the Cape, as we speak.)

MY FAVORITE FOOD TO HUNKER DOWN? HANDS DOWN - MEXICAN WINS

There's nothing like having a small surplus of tamales in the freezer to reheat when you're having a Mexican food emergency.

While looking at traditional tamale recipes, my first question was how do I replace the fat in the masa dough, without losing flavor and without using animal fat or processed oils. Avocado is the first thing that comes to mind and the clear winner. Using a high quality vegetable stock, in place of water, adds a lot of added flavor as well.

Here's a list of what you'll need -

ALL Ingredients:

1 8oz package of dried corn husks

MASA DOUGH INGREDIENTS:

1.5 avocados mashed
1 tbs sea salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbs mexican oregano
1 tbs thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
2 1/4 C high quality vegetable stock

FILLING INGREDIENTS:

1 Vidalia onion, diced
2 C black beans (or pinto)
1 serrano chile, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 C corn kernels
2 4.5 oz cans green chiles
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

This being my first stab at a vegan tamale, I think I had pretty good success overall.

I'm excited to try a mixture of refried pintos with avocado and jalapenos. There are so many variations for curious experimentation!

Don't forget to garnish your masterpiece with some spicy green sauce and diced up avocado & tomato salsa…

Roasted corn, black bean & green chile vegan tamales

Now for the play-by-play…

Instructions:

Soak your corn husks in a big bowl of cold water, for about 30 minutes.
Prepare your masa dough..
Mash your avocado and place it in your stand mixer, with your salt, baking powder, oregano, thyme & garlic powder. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and add half of your masa flour, while mixing on low speed. Add half of your vegetable stock and then the rest of your masa. Mix until the dough starts to come together and is well blended.
Prepare your filling..
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Chop your garlic cloves, serrano chile and onion. Add them to the rest of your ingredients in a bowl and toss with your seasonings. The juice from the green chiles will be enough liquid for roasting. Place your vegetables on the prepared baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes.

NEXT ON THE VEGAN TAMALE MAKING AGENDA…

Assemble your tamales…

Start by putting about 1/3 cups of masa on your husk.
Spread it out, leaving about a 2" border around the sides.
Place 1/4 cups of filling in the center and roll the husk to close it.
Fold one end of the husk over and tie it with either twine or a long strip of husk. I had a bit of difficulty using the husk and found bakers twine to be more user friendly.
Place all your tamales in the steamer and simmer for about 1.5 hours.

VEGAN TAMALES AT HOME

THE PLAY-BY-PLAY IN PHOTOS