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📍 Chiapas

Chipilin tamales

· Breakfast

Soft masa tamales with chipilin leaves, typical of Chiapas and Tabasco.

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Chipilin tamales: Soft masa tamales with chipilin leaves, typical of Chiapas and Tabasco.
Photo: Nsaum75 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
⏱ 110 min🍽 6 servings📊 Intermediate🏷 Commonly associated
Preparation
40 min
Cooking
60 min
Waiting and resting
10 min

History

Chipilin is an aromatic herb of the southeast that perfumes the masa. These small tamales are wrapped in banana leaf and sometimes include quesillo or pumpkin seed.

Ingredients

Adjust quantities

Only numeric quantities at the start of an ingredient are adjusted. Descriptive quantities, seasoning to taste and timings remain unchanged; check them when changing servings.

Preparation

  1. 1

    Beat the masa with lard and broth until fluffy.

  2. 2

    Fold in the cleaned chipilin leaves.

  3. 3

    Toast the banana leaves and cut them into squares.

  4. 4

    Place a portion of masa and a piece of quesillo.

  5. 5

    Wrap the tamales into small packets.

  6. 6

    Steam for about an hour.

Cooking tips

  • Tamales are ready when the masa releases from the leaf; rest 10 minutes after steaming.

Technique and preparation

What to check during preparation

Use chipilin that is correctly identified and sold for food. Wash leaves, remove tough stems and drain before mixing into masa. Soften the wrapping leaves and avoid tight bundles; dough needs room. Keep tamales above the water and leave space for steam circulation. Open one to check that dough releases from its leaf without a wet center. Rest briefly before serving.

References to consult

References provide information about the dish, its context or a technique. Quantities in this version may differ from those in the source.

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