Tamales de Mole Negro con Pollo Deshebrado
Tamales en Hoja de Plátano: The Ritual of Wrapping
There is a pervasive lie that authentic Mexican cooking always demands grueling, multi-day labor. While a true mole negro from scratch takes a weekend to construct, modern Oaxacan grandmas know a brilliant, pragmatic secret: they buy exceptional artisanal mole paste from the market. For the first-generation cook missing the tastes of home, a jar of premium imported paste is the ticket to an uncompromisingly authentic weeknight tamal. Wrapped in pliant banana leaves and steamed horizontally, these are moister and profoundly richer than the corn husk varieties of the north. The secret isn't suffering; it's proper masa hydration, respecting the imported ingredients, and the ritual of the fold.
Before you start
Thaw the banana leaves.
Leave the frozen banana leaves out at room temperature for a few hours before you plan to cook, or thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- bone-in chicken thighs1 1/2 lb
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic3 small clove
- kosher salt2 tbsp
- Oaxacan mole negro paste16 oz
- frozen banana leaves1 lb
- masa harina4 cup
- pork lard1 1/4 cup
- baking powder1 tsp
- water6 cup
Method
- 01
Poach the chicken to yield both tender meat and the fundamental broth.
Simmer the chicken, onion, garlic, and one tablespoon of salt in six cups of water for about forty-five minutes. Once the chicken is fall-apart tender, remove and shred it, making sure to strain and save every drop of that warm broth for the masa and the mole.
- 02
Awaken the artisanal mole paste.
Heat a splash of oil in a skillet over medium heat, drop in the mole paste, and slowly stir in up to two cups of your warm chicken broth. Let it simmer until it dissolves from a dense paste into a glossy, velvety sauce that coats the back of a spoon.
- 03
Condition the banana leaves over an open flame.
Cut the cleaned leaves into roughly twelve-by-fourteen-inch rectangles and pass them swiftly over a medium-low gas burner, shiny side down. The heat instantly alters the cellular structure, turning them bright green and pliable; skip this step, and the brittle leaves will shatter when folded.
- 04
Beat the masa until it passes the legendary flotation test.
Whip the lard vigorously until it's light and creamy, then fold in the masa harina, baking powder, and the remaining tablespoon of salt. Slowly knead in three cups of the warm chicken broth until the dough reaches the consistency of thick buttercream; if a tiny ball of the masa floats in a glass of cold water, it's aerated perfectly.
- 05
Embrace the ritual of the fold.
Spread a quarter-cup of the wet masa onto the glossy side of a banana leaf, top it with a pinch of shredded chicken, and drizzle a generous spoonful of mole directly over the meat. Fold the top and bottom edges to overlap, then tuck the ends underneath to form a completely sealed, horizontal rectangular packet.
- 06
Steam the tamales horizontally, using the penny trick as your auditory guide.
Drop a clean coin into the water chamber of your steamer, line the rack with leaf scraps, and stack the tamales completely flat so the wet mole doesn't leak out the bottom. Cover tightly with a plastic bag and a lid, then steam for an hour and a half; if the penny stops rattling, your water has boiled away and you need to add more immediately.
Notes
Sourcing the right fat.
If you cannot find high-quality rendered pork lard, do not settle for the highly hydrogenated flavorless stuff. A mixture of half vegetable shortening and half olive oil perfectly mimics the necessary fat content and texture for a weeknight adaptation.
Choosing your masa.
Standard Maseca for tamales works fine, but seeking out an heirloom corn masa harina like Masienda will elevate this dish closer to the fresh masa quebrajada used in Oaxaca.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.