Cuisine Diva

Is Cardamom One of Your Favorite Spices?

The Cuisine Diva recently got to try out some organic, green cardamom. Jiva Organics was kind enough to send me an 3.5 ounce (100 gram) bag of their cardamom pods.

Visit the Jiva Organics Facebook page: www.facebook.com/jivaorganicfoods

How to Use Whole Cardamom Pods

This is how I use whole cardamom pods. I open a few of the green pods and extract the seeds, which range in color from brown to black. The black seeds are the most aromatic/flavorful. Discard the outer green pod and place the seeds in a coffee grinder and grind to the desired consistency. I like to grind cardamom seeds in my marble mortar/pestle set.

I've been a HUGE fan of cardamom for many years. My favorite way to use the spice is to add a bit of the ground cardamom to my coffee grounds then add the spiced coffee to the filter basket of my drip coffee maker. I've also used a bit of cinnamon to make spices coffee but sometimes that is a bit too sweet.

Cardamom is one of the main spices used to make Chai tea. I've made my own chai tea blend using black tea leaves, cardamom seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves and black pepper. I guess I should write-up the recipe and instructions for making chai tea in a future article on Cuisine Diva.

You can find organic, green cardamom pods on Amazon.com. 

Above Left: green cardamom pods and ground cardamom. Above Right: green caradamom pods with one broken open showing the individual black cardamom seeds.

Green Cardamom Product Description

Jiva Organics is a line of certified organic spices that offer a tremendous value over mainstream alternatives.  This is a USDA certified organic Green Cardamom that is of extremely high quality and perfect for your next dish or tea! The 3.5-ounce bag size is almost a quarter of a pound, which contains the same product, and provides almost 3-4x more than what you get in a traditional grocery store.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Homemade Cheddar Chive Biscuits

This recipe makes a light and flaky buttermilk biscuit loaded with loads of cheddar cheese and savory chives. The secret to making light and flaky biscuits is to leave the butter in the refrigerator until ready to use. DO NOT let the butter warm up to room temperature. 

If you don't want to use buttermilk you can substitute regular milk, soy milk or even water. You can use parchment paper to line the baking pan, instead of greasing it, to prevent the biscuits from sticking to the bottom.

Above: a pastry knife is used to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients. If you don't have a pastry knife, substitute 2 butter knives.

Above: a pan filled with homemade cheddar chive biscuits.

Cheddar Chive Biscuit Recipe

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter - cubed
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2/3 cup buttermilk

Above: enjoy cheddar chive buttermilk biscuits straight out of the oven.

Cheddar Chive Biscuit Directions

 

1. Pre-heat your over to 375°F
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl
3. Use a pastry knife to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients
4. Stir in the chopped chives and shredded cheese
5. Use a large spoon to stir in the buttermilk until a soft dough is formed
6. Lightly flour a large work surface so the dough doesn't stick to it
7. Place the biscuit dough onto the work surface and coat your hands with flour, as necessary, to prevent sticking
8. Knead the dough 10 to 12 times until smooth
9. Pat the dough out into a 1-inch thick rectangle
10. Use a sharp knive to cut the biscuits into 12 equal pieces
11. Place the biscuits onto a large, lightly greased baking pan
12. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 18 to 23 minutes until light golden brown

Enjoy!

Lynn Smythe, AKA the Cuisine Diva 

 

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Why Should I Use a Turmeric Supplement?

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Do you take supplements as part of a daily health regime? Have you ever tried curcumin supplements? Curcuma longa is the Latin name for Turmeric, a plant that's related to ginger. The rhizome of the plants are harvested to make the culinary spice turmeric.

Turmeric is also available in capsule form and is thought to have a variety of health benefits. It is supposed to be an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and beneficial to your heart and liver. I take turmeric to help reduce the pain associated with my osteoarthritis. I am 50 years old and do a bit of running and cycling. My doctor says just about everyone will wind up with osteoarthritis as they age - fantastic!

Cooking with Turmeric

Besides taking turmeric capsules, I also have a jar of the spice in my pantry. Turmeric is one of the ingredients I use when making curry dishes. Turmeric is often used with ginger, cinnamon, coriander and cumin for a variety of culinary creations.

Nutraviva's Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex comes in a 120 capsule bottle, which equals a 30 day supply. The Premium Natural Turmeric Supplement is available on Amazon from Nutraviva. 

Product Description

Turmeric is considered and been used for centuries as an antioxidant and anti-flammatory supplement, for people wanting a natural arthritis treatment for joint pain relief, and even as a liver detox supplement and cardiovascular/cholesterol treatment.

Turmeric has been used for 1000 of years for its incredible health benefits, and in particular it's the bioactive elements known as curcuminoids, the main three being curcumin, bisdemethoxyl-curcumin and demethoxyl-curcumin and have been clinically tested and widely used.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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Can curcumin treat or prevent Alzheimer's?

Turmeric Shown to Save Your Brain from Toxic Fluoride Poisoning

Sauteed Mushroom Side Dish

Above: Sauteed mushrooms with fresh herbs.

I am a huge fan of sauteed mushrooms. Unfortunately I am the only one in my family that enjoys mushrooms. I wanted to make a brown mushroom gravy, to serve along with the chicken saltimbocca I made as part of our Thanksgiving Day meal, but had to settle for plain brown gravy. Since I was still craving mushrooms, I made a small side dish of sauteed mushrooms with fresh herbs to accompany our holiday meal.

Sauteed mushrooms make a terrific accompaniment to steak, chicken or pork. You could also serve the mushrooms on top of pasta, rice, or a baked potato for a delicious vegetarian dish.

Above: Ingredients to make sauteed mushrooms.

Sauteed Mushroom Ingredients

Any type of mushrooms can be used in this recipe. I used baby portabellas. Regular chives can be used in place of the garlic chives. I used garlic paste in this recipe, but a few cloves of finely minced fresh garlic can be substituted for the paste.

• 8 ounces mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano - chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh garlic chives - chopped

Above: Baby portabella mushrooms.

Sauteed Mushroom Directions

1. Used a slightly damp paper towel to brush off any dirt on the mushrooms.
2. Remove and discard the mushroom stems, then thinly slice the mushroom caps.
3. Add the olive oil and butter to a frying pan placed over medium high heat.
4. Add the mushrooms and saute, stirring occasionally, until they start to release their juices.
5. Stir in the garlic paste, oregano and garlic chives and cook for another minute or two.
6. Stir in the salt and pepper, adding more or less according to your personal preference.
7. Place the cooked mushrooms in a decorative bowl and serve immediately.
8. Leftover sauteed mushrooms will keep in the refrigerator for a few days. Leftovers can be heated up in a microwave.

Above: Mushrooms after herbs and seasonings have been added.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Molasses Pecan Butter

Above: Sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Side Dish

Instead of mashed, overly sweetened sweet potatoes, I decided to serve roasted sweet potatoes as part of our Thanksgiving Day meal this year. The sweet potatoes are peeled, tossed with olive oil and spices, then roasted in the oven. See the recipe I posted up in July of 2009 for Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes. For anyone that wants a sweeter tasting side dish, I serve the oven roasted sweet potatoes along with a side of molasses pecan butter.

Above: Ingredients to make molasses pecan butter for roasted sweet potatoes.

Molasses Pecan Butter Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter - room temperature
• 1/4 cup pecans - chopped and toasted
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Above: Add the butter, salt, spice and molasses to a small bowl.

Molasses Pecan Butter Directions

1. In a small, dry pan, toast the pecans over medium heat until light brown. Let cool to room temperature before adding to the butter.
2. In a small bowl, cream together the butter, salt, spice and molasses until smooth and creamy.
3. Stir in the cooled, toasted nuts.
4. Place the molasses pecan butter in a decorative serving dish, and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Above: Blend the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

Spice Substitutions

Chinese five spice powder is a combination of star anise, fennel, cloves, white pepper and cinnamon. Here are a few suggestions on other spices that can be used. You can choose from one or more of these spices to add to the pecan butter:

• Nutmeg
• Allspice
• Cloves
• Ginger
• Cinnamon
• Star anise

Above: Stir in the toasted pecans.

 

Molasses Substitutions

If you don't like the taste of molasses, or don't have any on hand, other syrups may be used instead. Here are a few suggestions:

• Honey
• Real maple syrup
• Light agave syrup
• Dark agave syrup

Above: Dry toast the pecans in a small pan over medium heat.

 

Above: Completed molasses pecan butter, ready to serve with roasted sweet potatoes or baked winter squash.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Cuisine Diva is Featured Author on Cook Eat Share

Featured Author

Lynn Smythe

view my recipes

Hello everyone,

I've just registered the Cuisine Diva blog on the Cook Eat Share site. This should bring me additional traffic to the Cuisine Diva blog. I am also a featured author on the Cook Eat Share website. Here is the link to my Cook Eat Share profile page: Cuisine Diva on Cook Eat Share.

I just started the Herbs & Spices group on Cook Eat Share. The group will be focused on cooking with herbs and spices.

Please visit the Cook Eat Share site when you get a chance.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

How-to Make Traditional Pad Thai

Above: family style serving of pad thai

My previous Cuisine Diva post provides details on how to prepare all the ingredients for pad thai ahead of time: How-to Prepare Recipe Ingredients for Pad Thai. This article describes how to cook pad thai. My recipe for pad thai serves 4-6 people, depending on how hungry you are.

Above: prepared ingredients, ready to be made into pad thai

Pad Thai Recipe Ingredients

Refer to the How-to Prepare Recipe Ingredients for Pad Thai post for complete details on how to prepare each of these ingredients. Pad thai is a stir-fried noodle dish and only takes a few minutes to cook. The ingredients need to be processed and ready to go into the wok before starting to cook the pad thai.

Above: stir fry shallots and garlic

 

Above: stir fry shrimp until they turn pink

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 10 ounce raw shrimp
• 2 eggs
• 8 ounces thin to medium wide, dry rice noodles
• 1 bunch chives
• 3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar
• 2 teaspoons chili paste
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 2 tablespoons dried shrimp
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
• 2 cups mung bean sprouts
• 4 green onions
• 1 carrot
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime

Above: scramble egg in the wok

Pad Thai Recipe Directions

1. Heat half of the vegetable oil in a wok, over medium high heat.
2. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until the garlic begins to turn golden.
3. Add the shrimp and cook for a few minutes, or just until they turn pink.
4. Remove the cooked shrimp from the wok, place in a small bowl, and set aside.
5. Add the remaining vegetable oil to the wok.
6. Add the eggs and stir until scrambled.
7. Add the rice noodles and chives to the wok and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
8. Stir in the processed tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar and chili paste.
9. Stir in half of the peanuts, bean sprouts and green onions.
10. Stir in the cooked shrimp.
11. Add the pad thai to a large serving platter.
12. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts, bean sprouts and green onions over the top.
13. Garnish with the carrot, cilantro leaves and lime wedges.
14. Serve immediately.
15. Pad thai is best served fresh, as the noodles tend to get a bit mushy after a short time.

Above: add rice noodles and chives

 

Above: stir in pad thai sauce

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

How-to Prepare Recipe Ingredients for Pad Thai

Above: ingredients to make authentic Pad Thai

Thai Style Cuisine

I've been on a Thai cooking adventure for the past few weeks. I am the Herbs and Spices Feature Writer for Suite101.com and have posted up a few Thai recipes and cuisine articles to that site. I had Pad Thai on my list of Thai recipes to test and finally got around to making Pad Thai today.

Above: tamarind paste concentrate, AKA sour soup base mix

Above: tamarind concentrate soaked in hot water, then stained

Pad Thai Recipe

Pad Thai is a classic stir-fried noodle dish. The recipe for Pad Thai is quite involved, and has a lot of different ingredients. I took a lot of photos as I was making the recipe, as Suite101 limits the number of photos that can be attached to each article, I thought I would post the recipe to Cuisine Diva, where there is no limit to the number of photos I can add.

Also, since the recipe is a bit involved, I've broken it down into two articles. This is the first article on how to prepare all the ingredients for making Pad Thai. The second article will detail how to make Pad Thai, once all your ingredients are ready to go.

Above: dried shrimp added to mortar

Above: dried shrimp pounded with pestle in stone mortar, until light and fluffy

Overview of Pad Thai Ingredients

• 8 ounces thin to medium wide, dry rice noodles
• 10 ounce raw shrimp
• 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar
• 2 teaspoons chili paste
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 shallots
• 2 eggs
• 1 bunch chives
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 2 tablespoons dried shrimp
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
• 2 cups mung bean sprouts
• 4 green onions
• 1 carrot
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime

Above: palm sugar disks waiting to be processed in mortar in pestle

Preparing Pad Thai Ingredients

1. Soak the rice noodles in a large bowl of cold water, for 20-30 minutes, or until soft. Don't soak the noodles too long, or they will get mushy once they are stir-fried. Some people use hot water to soak their rice noodles. While this method only takes about 5 minutes, instead of 20-30, it usually makes the noodles too soft, once they are added to the wok and stir-fried.
2. Any size shrimp can be used in this recipe. I used large, 12 count shrimp, i.e. 12 shrimp per pound. All shrimp needs to be peeled and deveined. Large shrimp will require a slightly longer cooking time than medium to small shrimp. Shrimp have their own built in alarm clock, when they turn pink, they are done.
3. Add 3 tablespoons tamarind paste to a small bowl. Pour in the 3/4 cup boiling water, and let soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Use a fine mesh strainer to strain out the stringy tamarind pulp and seeds. The resulting liquid is one of the ingredients used to make the pad thai sauce.
4. Use a mortar and pestle to pound out the disk of palm sugar. My palm sugar disks equally exactly two tablespoons once they are pounded in the mortar. Your palm sugar disks may be larger or smaller than the ones I used.
5. Peel and finely mince the garlic cloves.
6. Peel the shallots, cut them in half, then thinly slice.
7. Add the eggs to a small bowl and whisk together.
8. Wash the chives well, to remove any sand, dry off, then cut into one to two inch long lengths. I like to use a pair of kitchen scissors, to snip my chives, rather than chopping with a knife.
9. Use a mortar and pestle to pound out the dried shrimp, until they are light and fluffy.
10. Roughly chop the roasted peanuts. I used salted, roasted peanuts, with no skin. 
11. Slice the green onions into diagonal pieces.
12. Peel and grate the carrot.
13. Wash the cilantro leaves well, to remove and sand, dry off, then roughly chop.
14. Cut the lime into wedges, to be used as a garnish.

 

Above: rice noodles soaking in cold water

Pad Thai Ingredient Substitutions

I'm using ingredients to make an authentic Pad Thai. Specialty items, such as dried shrimp, palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind paste, can be found at online gourmet stores such as Importfood.com and Temple of Thai. If you are having trouble locating certain items, here are a few suggestions for possible substitutions.

Above: individual ingredients prepared, and ready to be used to make Pad Thai

1. Use light brown sugar in place of the palm sugar.
2. Use the juice from two limes in place of the tamarind paste and boiling water.
3. Use soy sauce in place of the fish sauce.
4. Fresh parsley can be used in place of the cilantro.
5. Any protein can be used to make pad thai. Instead of shrimp, try using tofu, scallops, chicken or pork.
6. Use a large, thick bean sprout in this recipe, such as mung bean sprouts. Alfalfa and/or broccoli sprouts are much too thin for this recipe.
7. The chili paste can be omitted to make a non-spicy version of pad thai. But the chili paste really isn't hot, it just adds another layer of flavor to the dish. If you are really concerned with using chili paste, try using only 1 teaspoon, instead of 2, the first time you make pad thai.
8. Finely sliced red, yellow or orange bell pepper can be used in place of the grated carrot. They use carrot at my local Thai restaurant, so that's what I prefer.

Thai Recipes on Suite101.com

Here are the links to the Thai-themed articles I have written for Suite101.

• Sticky Rice Recipe 
• Thai Tom Khaa Soup
• Stir-Fried Caramelized Pork with Crispy Shallots
• Fresh Thai Culinary Ingredients
• Dry Thai Culinary Ingredients
• Specialty Food Items Used in Thai Cuisine Recipes
• Specialty Cooking Utensils Used in Thai Style Cuisine
• Thai Style Stir Fried Noodles with Red Curry Sauce
• Stir Fried Green Curry Pork with Eggplant

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Moussaka; Eggplant Casserole

Individual serving of moussaka.

Moussaka is a Greek entree, which features layers of tomato seasoned ground meat, eggplant and a cream sauce. There are many variations of this classic, Mediterranean dish. I wrote an article for Suite101 on moussaka a few months ago: Eggplant Moussaka Recipe; Classic Greek Style Lasagna.

Potato Laced Moussaka
Yesterday I came up with a potato laced version of moussaka, which I am sharing on the Cuisine Diva site. The inspiration for this recipe came from a moussaka I tasted at Round Green Pie at the Boynton Beach mall. Their version used ground beef, but since I have mostly eliminated beef from my diet, I made my moussaka with ground turkey. The top layer of potato laced moussaka reminds me of au gratin potatoes. Thinly sliced layers of potatoes, mixed with lots of creamy, cheesy sauce - heaven!

Inexpensive plastic mandoline slicer.

Mandoline Slicer
You will need a mandoline slicer in order to cut the eggplant and potatoes thin enough so they don't require pre-cooking. If you have to slice the eggplant and potatoes by hand, you may have to partially cook them, before adding them to the moussaka. You definitely don't want semi-raw potatoes - invest in a mandoline slicer if you don't already have one.

If you have an inexpensive plastic mandoline, like I do, make sure you DON'T place it on a hot stove. In the picture above, the bottom of the mandoline was starting to melt and stuck to my stove. I guess I forgot I had just used that burner to make the cream sauce, and it hadn't cooled down yet. NICE! Maybe it's time to invest in one of those fancy-pants, restaurant grade, stainless steel mandolines.

Ground turkey and tomato mixture spread on the bottom of baking dish.

I use my mandoline slicer all the time - to slice carrots, zucchini, cheese, cucumber and tons of other stuff. I have a cheap, plastic mandoline slicer which came with all sorts of slicing and grating attachments. High quality stainless steel mandolines can cost $100 or more.

Beginnings of cream sauce on the left. Finished cream sauce on the right, after whisking in the eggs.

Ingredients for Moussaka Recipe

• 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
• 1 cup tomato sauce - divided in half
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 large eggplant
• Approximately 1 pound waxy, yellow potatoes - peeled and sliced extremely thin
• 1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese - mixture of mozzarella, asiago and Parmesan

Left - first layer of eggplant, beginning to add tomato sauce. Right - second layer of eggplant added, topped with cream sauce.

Directions for Moussaka Recipe

1. Place the ground turkey in a large frying pan, placed over medium heat.
2. If you are using ground white meat turkey breast, as opposed to dark meat turkey, you may need to add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to the bottom of the pan, to ensure the turkey doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Break up and stir the turkey until it is no longer pink in the center.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, sage, oregano and salt.
5. Cook for another minute or two, until the sauce is heated through.
6. Place the ground meat mixture on the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch rectangular, glass baking dish.
7. Peel the eggplant, cut it in half, and slice thin using a mandoline slicer. You need to have enough eggplant slices, to make two layers.
8. Add 1 layer of eggplant slices on top of the ground turkey mixture. 
9. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of tomato sauce on top of the eggplant slices.
10. To make the cream sauce, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan, placed over medium heat.
11. Whisk in the flour and nutmeg and cook for 1 minute.
12. Whisk in the milk, and turn the heat to medium high.
13. Continue whisking until the sauce begins to thicken.
14. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese.
15. Remove the sauce from the stove.
16. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs.
17. Whisk the eggs into the saucepan of cream sauce.
18. Add the 2nd layer of eggplant slices to the baking dish.
19. Top the 2nd layer of eggplant with 1/3 of the cream sauce.
20. Add the first layer of potatoes, and top with 1/3 of the cream sauce.
21. Top with the second layer of potatoes and top with the remaining cream sauce.
22. Sprinkle the top of the moussaka with the grated Italian cheese mixture.
23. Place the baking dish on a large baking sheet and place in 400 degree preheated oven.
24. Bake the moussaka for 45 to 60 minutes, until dark golden brown on top.
25. Let cool slightly before serving, the moussaka will be like molten lava!
26. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

 

Thinly sliced potatoes added to the baking dish.

The moussaka, topped with shredded cheese, waiting to go in the oven.

Complete Meal
Serve the moussaka with other Greek inspired recipes.

• Tzatziki Yogurt Sauce Recipe
• Taboule Salad Recipe
• Greek Vegetable Salad Recipe
• Lemon Herb Pasta Toss

• 

  The completed moussaka, after baking.
  

Take care, Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Roasted Corn with Green Chile Cheese Tamales

Platter of homemade tamales

For the past couple of weeks I've been blogging about my Mexican inspired cuisine journey. Here are the links to those posts.

Food & Culinary Equipment From Mex Grocer

Pozole; Pork and Hominy Stew

Quesadillas; Homemade Corn Turnovers

More Mexican Ingredients From Mex Grocer

Some of the ingredients used to make tamales

Tamale Time
I've been wanting to try making tamales, and yesterday I finally got around to making them. I made a small batch of vegetarian, roasted corn with green chile cheese tamales. They were a bit time consuming to make, but quite tasty. The nice thing about tamales, is that you can make a big batch of them, then keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days. They can even be stored in the freezer for a month or two.

Soaking corn husks in hot water

Roasted Corn Tamales with Green Chile Salsa

This is a multi-step recipe. You will need to prepare the corn husks, make the tamale dough, make the tamale filing, then assemble the tamales before placing them in the steamer and cooking them.

• Prepared corn husks
• 1 recipe tamale dough
• 1 recipe tamale filing
• Shredded cheese

This recipe makes approximately 1 dozen tamales. You will need to prepare approximately 2 dozen corn husks for this recipe, 1 dozen husks for the tamales, another 3-4 husks to tear into ribbons to tie the ends of the tamales together, and around 6-8 husks to line the bottom of the tamale steamer. To prepare the dried corn husks, soak them in a large bowl of hot water, until they are pliable. This can take up to 3 hours, so start this step in advance!

Stand mixer on left, masa harina blended with margarine and seasonings on right

Ingredients for the Tamale Dough

• 1 1/2 cups masa harina
• 6 tablespoons margarine - room temperature
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

Tomatillos, left, and green chiles, right

Roasted corn with green chile filling

Directions for the Tamale Dough

I highly recommend using a stand mixer to make the tamale dough. You could use a regular electric mixer, but I think my hands would get tired holding onto it for so long. Kitchen gadgets are your friend!

• Place the softened margarine inside the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Whip the margarine until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the salt, baking powder, sugar and cumin.
• Add the masa harina and beat until it resembles fine crumbs.
• Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl as needed.
• Slowly add the vegetable broth and beat until the dough is light and fluffy.
• Cover the bowl of dough with a clean cloth, or piece of plastic wrap, and set aside while you make the filling.

Line the bottom of the tamale steamer with corn husks

Ingredients for the Tamale Filling

• 1 can corn - drained
• 4 canned tomatillos - diced
• 3 canned mild green chiles - diced
• 2 teaspoons toasted Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon achiote paste
• 1 tablespoon hot water

Directions for the Tamale Filling

1. Place the corn in a large frying pan over medium heat.
2. Cook until the corn begins to turn golden brown, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the tomatillos, green chiles, oregano and cumin.
4. Place the achiote paste in a small bowl, and stir in the hot water until a smooth liquid is formed.
5. Stir the achiote liquid into the pan, and cook the filling for another minute or two.
6. Turn the heat off, and set the filling aside until you are ready to fill the tamales.

Building the Tamales

I thought it would be easiest to take a lot of pictures of the tamales, as they are being put together, rather than typing out a long list of instructions.

Spread 2 tablespoons of tamale dough, on the smoothest side of a corn husk. You can either use a spatula, your hands or a tamale spreader for this step.

Place a heaping tablespoon of filling on top of the tamale dough.

Place a couple of teaspoons of shredded cheese on top of the filling. I used cheddar, but you can use Jack cheese, pepper Jack, Mexican blend, etc...

Fold the left side over the filling, then fold the right side over the filling.

Use two strips of corn husks to tie off the ends of the tamale.

The tamale ready to go in the tamale steamer.

Fill the steamer basket with a couple of inches of water, place the steamer insert on the bottom. Cover the insert with corn husks, then place the tamales on top. Place the lid on the pan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let the tamales steam for approximately 1 hour. Check occasionally to see if you need to add additional water to the steamer pot.

Carefully remove the tamales from the steamer basket. They will be hot! Unwrap the tamales and eat ASAP. You can either eat the tamales as is, or add a bit of mild red chile sauce, or a bit of hot sauce if you prefer.

My Tamale Future
This was my first attempt at making tamales. They came out better than I thought, but this is another recipe where it would be a big help to have another set of hands. I was going to make 3 varieties of tamales, but once I realized how much time that would take, I decided to only make 1 variety for my first attempt. In the future I would like to try a meat filled tamale and a dessert tamale. YUM!

Take care,
Cuisine Diva AKA Lynn Smythe