In Costa Rica, December is eagerly awaited, as it is the month when families gather for the famous tamaleadas, a magical time to share stories, laugh, learn, strengthen bonds of love, and relive memories.
Tamales are part of our pre-Columbian Indigenous gastronomic heritage. Similar preparations can be found from South America to the North, which makes them one of our greatest culinary treasures. They were once considered a very complete food, eaten daily, but over time they have undergone modifications and adaptations due to European, Asian, and African culinary influences, such as the use of pork, rice, and even banana leaves to wrap the tamales. Originally, our ancestors made them with game meat, many vegetables, and wrapped them in corn husks.
Every family has its own tamale recipe, its personal signature. Some include very European ingredients such as olives or raisins; other families are more traditional, while others take risks by incorporating different flavors or textures, like hard-boiled eggs or pickled vegetables.
During tamaleadas, the person with the most knowledge or experience is the head of the family, and this person is usually in charge of making the dough, which holds the secret to a good tamal. This role is typically carried out by the elders. The strongest family members go to gather the banana leaves, while the youngest or least experienced are responsible for cleaning them. Another very important task is tying the tamales: it requires a lot of technique and precision to prevent water from getting inside.
The Berrocal family, originally from Río Blanco de Jicaral, told the magazine that they used pita, a plant similar to cabuya. When boiled, it releases a very strong fiber, which they use to tie the tamales.
This is a gluten-free dish, and it can be adapted in many ways—vegan, chicken, and more—but here I will share my grandmother’s recipe: the traditional pork tamales. It is a very simple recipe, accessible to anyone.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg cracked corn (my grandmother uses corn flour; it’s not the most traditional, but it’s easier)
- ½ kg potatoes
- 1 kg pork shoulder
- ½ kg pork ribs
- 2 sweet peppers
- 300 g carrots
- 200 g green beans
- 200 g rice
- Green peas
- 1 large onion
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 head of garlic
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Bay leaves
- Annatto (achiote)
- Salt
- Pepper
- 8–10 large banana leaves
Meat Preparation
Cut the meat into cubes of about 20 cm. Season with garlic, pepper, cumin, salt, and oregano. In a very hot pan, sear all the meat until nicely browned. Then place it in a pressure cooker, cover with water, and once it whistles, cook for 20 minutes until the meat is very tender. Separate the meat from the broth and reserve the broth. When the meat is warm, shred it. Remove the fat from the ribs; you can blend this fat with some broth and use it instead of adding any other fat.
Dough Preparation
Hydrate the corn flour with the reserved broth. Place it over heat and stir constantly, making sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pot. The dough should not be too runny or too dry. While cooking, season with salt and optionally bay leaves. Remove from the heat once you see constant air bubbles forming.
Banana Leaf Preparation
Clean the banana leaves carefully so they do not tear, then pass them briefly over an open flame (soasar). Once ready, cut them into squares about 30–40 cm wide, removing the central vein. This recipe makes approximately 15 piñas (bundles), which equals 30 tamales, so you should cut about 60 squares, as each tamal requires two leaves.
Rice Preparation
Add the rice to the rice cooker with 50 g of diced carrots, the green peas, and the onion. Add one teaspoon of annatto. The rice should be colorful, flavorful, and fluffy, not too soft.
Filling Preparation
Cut about 200 g of carrots into 1 cm sticks, 200 g of green beans, the potatoes into 2 cm sticks, and the sweet pepper into thin strips. Sauté everything until soft but still firm.
Assembling the Tamales
Here comes the most fun part! Place two banana leaves on top of each other, slightly offset so the eight corners stick out.
In the center, place a spoonful of dough, then enough meat, carrots, green beans, a spoonful of rice, and finally close the tamal. To close it, fold one side of the leaf over the other lengthwise, then fold in the ends. Repeat with the second leaf and tie with kitchen twine.
Place one tamal on top of another with the folds facing inward and tie them together with more twine. They should be tight enough to prevent water from entering or dough from escaping, but not too tight, as the tamales expand slightly during cooking and may break if tied too tightly.
Cooking the Tamales
In a large pot with plenty of water, place banana leaves at the bottom and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add all the tamale bundles and cook for about 45 minutes. The pot must remain covered, and you should ensure there is always enough water.
After 45 minutes, remove the tamales from the water and let them cool completely. This allows them to set and achieve the desired texture and shape.
Later, you can reboil them or heat them in the microwave and enjoy them with coffee or agua dulce (sweet cane sugar drink).
Store them in the refrigerator or freeze them.
I wish you happy Christmas holidays and a phenomenal New Year.
I am Daphinie Robleto. I am a Chef, I was born in the kitchen and I love the beautiful stress that only cooks know how to enjoy. I want to bring you a little of the stories behind each dish and the traditional recipes of our beloved Costa Rica that perhaps we know from every day, or that we have definitely never heard of.
Know more about Daphinie Robleto: https://www.instagram.com/lapeninsulaprivatechef/
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