Green Corn Tamales (Tamalitos Verdes)

Carefully peel the husks off the corn, keeping the largest, widest ones whole for wrapping. Rinse under cold water to remove silk, then tear a few smaller husks into thin strips for tying later.

• 14–16 large husks, plus a few extra for tying corn husks

✅ Done when: husks are clean, pliable and free of silk

Season the pork with salt, pepper and ají panca paste, then brown on all sides in a pan over medium heat. Add a splash of water, cover and cook gently for 15–25 minutes until fully cooked through.

• 500 g pork
• to taste salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp ají panca paste
• a splash water

✅ Done when: pork is tender with no pink inside

In a food processor or blender, grind the corn kernels with the cilantro and ají amarillo in batches, pulsing to a thick, slightly grainy paste rather than a smooth purée.

• 1 kg corn kernels
• 30 g (1 cup) cilantro
• 1 (or 2 tbsp paste) ají amarillo

✅ Done when: mixture is a thick, slightly grainy paste

Melt the lard in a wide pot and cook the onion and garlic over medium-low heat until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the ground corn mixture, cumin, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, for 8–12 minutes until slightly thickened and no longer raw-smelling; let cool a little.

• 100 g lard
• 1 small red onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• all of it corn mixture from step 3
• 1 tsp cumin
• to taste salt and pepper

✅ Done when: dough is slightly thickened and smells cooked, not raw

Lay a large husk flat, smooth side up, and spoon about 3 tablespoons of the corn dough into the centre. Press a piece of pork into the middle, fold the sides and ends of the husk over the filling, and tie closed with a husk strip.

• 1 large husk per tamale husks from step 1
• about 3 tbsp per tamale dough from step 4
• 1 piece per tamale pork from step 2
• 1 strip per tamale husk strips from step 1

✅ Done when: each tamale is a neat, closed parcel

Stand or stack the tamales in a large pot fitted with a steamer rack or a layer of extra husks, above about 5 cm of boiling water. Cover tightly and steam at a steady simmer for 60–75 minutes, topping up water as needed.

• all tamales wrapped tamales from step 5
• about 2 L, for 5 cm in the pot water

✅ Done when: dough is firm and pulls cleanly away from the husk

Lift the tamales out and let them rest for 10 minutes before unwrapping; they firm up as they cool slightly. Serve warm with salsa criolla and lime wedges.

• all tamales steamed tamales from step 6
• to serve salsa criolla
• to serve lime wedges

✅ Done when: tamales are firm and easy to unwrap