Tamales Salvadoreños Rápidos
Panes con Pollo & The Weekend Feast
In El Salvador, tamales are an endurance sport—an all-day, all-hands affair involving aunts, grandmas, and massive aluminum pots. But for the diaspora living in the suburbs on a Tuesday night, that tradition needs a bridge. This adaptation ruthlessly strips away the manual labor of boiling whole hens and wrestling with open flames, utilizing rotisserie chicken, high-quality bone broth, and a brilliant foil-and-leaf wrapping hack. What remains untouched is the soul of the dish: the silky, pre-cooked masa and the deeply roasted relajo spices that guarantee the exact, undeniable taste of home.
Ingredients
- plain rotisserie chicken1 med
- high-quality chicken bone broth10 cup
- chicken bouillon powder1 tbsp
- white onion1/2 med
- celery stalk1 med
- bunch fresh cilantro1 small
- Roma tomatoes4 large
- green bell pepper1/2 med
- white onion1/4 med
- garlic cloves2 large
- sesame seeds1 tbsp
- shelled pumpkin seeds1 tbsp
- dried Guajillo chile1 med
- dried Ancho chile1 med
- dried bay leaves2 med
- dried oregano1/2 tsp
- ground cumin1/4 tsp
- ground black pepper1/4 tsp
- achiote powder1 tsp
- instant corn masa flour4 cup
- neutral cooking oil1 cup
- salt1 tsp
- Russet potato1 large
- canned chickpeas1/2 cup
- pimento-stuffed green olives1/4 cup
- package frozen banana leaves1 med
- roll heavy duty aluminum foil1 med
Method
- 01
Fortify the commercial broth with fresh aromatics.
In a large pot, simmer the chicken broth, the whole half onion, celery, cilantro, and bouillon for 15 minutes. Strain and discard the solids, keeping the deeply flavored broth warm.
- 02
Toast the relajo spices to build the authentic flavor base.
In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried chiles, and bay leaves for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Do not let the sesame seeds burn, or the sauce will turn bitter.
- 03
Blend and simmer the recaudo sauce.
Transfer the toasted spices to a blender along with the tomatoes, green bell pepper, the chopped quarter onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, black pepper, achiote, and one cup of the warm fortified broth. Blend on high until completely smooth, then simmer in a saucepan for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- 04
Rehydrate the shredded chicken in the recaudo.
Toss the shredded rotisserie chicken with a half cup of the simmered sauce. This embeds the Salvadoran flavor profile deep into the meat before it even enters the tamal.
- 05
Hydrate and pre-cook the masa into a rich custard.
In a large pot off the heat, whisk the masa flour with eight to nine cups of the warm broth until smooth like a thin pancake batter, then whisk in the oil and salt. Place over medium heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon for 8 to 15 minutes until the mixture violently blurps and thickens into a glossy, bubbling custard.
- 06
Assemble the tamales using the foil and leaf trick.
Lay down a foil square and place a banana leaf square in the center. Dollop a half cup of hot masa onto the leaf, make a divot in the center, and add a spoonful of recaudo, a pinch of chicken, one potato stick, two chickpeas, and one olive.
- 07
Fold and seal the tamales tightly for steaming.
Bring the top and bottom edges of the foil together over the filling, folding tightly to seal the seam. Fold the open ends underneath to create a tightly sealed rectangular packet.
- 08
Steam the tamales until the masa sets.
Stack the wrapped tamales horizontally in a steamer basket over simmering water. Cover with any leftover banana leaves and a tight lid, steaming for 1 1/2 hours until the masa is firm and peels cleanly from the banana leaf patch.
Notes
The foil-and-leaf hack replicates the traditional cooking environment without the intense labor.
By using aluminum foil as a hermetic barrier and a small square of banana leaf for localized diffusion, you infuse the tamal with essential grassy aromas without having to clean and fire-roast massive, brittle leaves.
Do not skip the continuous stirring when cooking the masa.
The pre-gelatinization of the corn starches is what gives Salvadoran tamales their unique, silky texture. If left unattended on the stove, the masa will scorch or form dense lumps.