Colombian Fish Tamales
Do you love tamales but think they are too complicated to make from scratch? Try this version with banana leaves. They are larger and require less work. Bonus: the delicate aroma of the banana leaves wafts through your kitchen as your tamales steam.
Makes
Serving size
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS FOR TAMALE:
1 pound banana leaves, frozen (defrosted)
12-ounces cod or tilapia (cod used for nutrient analysis)
¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
2 cups vegetable broth, low sodium
2 cups corn flour (masa harina, like Maseca®)
2 tablespoons olive oil
INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE:
3 dried hot chiles (guajillo)
1 cup water
1 clove garlic
2 whole cloves
2 whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small (70 grams) red onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 medium (60 grams) carrot, chopped (about ½ cup)
1 small (74 grams) bell pepper, red, chopped (about ½ cup)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 small (118 grams) zucchini, diced (about ¾ cup)
1 small (90 grams) plum tomato, chopped (about ¾ cup)
¼ cup olives pitted, green, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, minced
¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon oregano dried
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Large stockpot with steamer rack or bamboo steamer
Blender
Instructions
DIRECTIONS FOR ADVANCE PREP:
- Wipe thawed banana leaves very gently and pat them dry.
- Cut leaves into 15 x 12 inch rectangles (you can combine two smaller pieces together as necessary).
- Cut the fish into 6 pieces and season with black pepper. Set aside.
- Heat 2 cups of vegetable broth in a small pot.
- Place 2 cups of masa harina in a large bowl. Add the warm broth to the masa harina, a little at a time, stirring after each addition.
- Add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Knead the dough vigorously with your hands or with a spatula for a minute to make it fluffier (wet hands as needed to prevent them from sticking to the dough). Set aside.
DIRECTIONS FOR SAUCE:
- Slice open the dried chiles with a small sharp knife. Remove seeds and stems.
- Heat 1 cup of water in a small pot over high heat. Add chiles, cover, and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and soak chiles in the hot water for 10 minutes, until softened. Reserve the water used to soak the chiles.
- Puree the chiles in a blender with garlic, cloves, peppercorns, olive oil and the reserved chile water.
- Strain sauce into a small pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Let it cool.
DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat in a medium skillet.
- Add onion, carrots, bell pepper, and 3 cloves garlic.
- Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add zucchini and tomato and sauté for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- Add ½ the chile sauce to the sautéed vegetables, along with the olives, capers, black pepper, and oregano and mix well.
DIRECTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING TAMALES:
- Spread banana leaves on a work surface, the lighter green, smoother side up.
- Divide the masa dough evenly among the six banana leaf rectangles.
- Spread the dough onto the center of each banana leaf. Maintain a border of about 3 inches on the sides and 4 inches at the top and bottom.
- Layer the vegetable filling evenly atop the masa dough on each leaf.
- Place a piece of fish on top of the vegetable layer on each leaf (fish can be cut into several smaller pieces, if desired).
- Add 1 tablespoon of chile sauce on top of the fish layers.
- Fold banana leaves by bringing together the two long sides, folding over and tucking one edge over the other, if possible.
- Fold the two remaining sides under the tamal (if the leaf tears, place the folded torn tamal on a second leaf and repeat the folding steps).
- Secure the folded tamales with kitchen twine.
- Steam the tamales in a large stockpot or bamboo steamer for 35 minutes. Oil the chambers to prevent sticking. Add more water to the pot containing the steamer as it evaporates.
- To serve, place an unopened packet on each plate. Untie the twine and unfold the banana leaves to reveal your cooked tamales. ¡Buen provecho!
Cooking Tip
Frozen banana leaves are easy to find in the frozen section of any Latino or Asian store or online. If the leaves are too brittle and stiff, you can soften them by heating them in a hot pan for a few seconds before forming the tamales.
Recipe Contributed by FamilyCook Productions
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