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Not your average tamale: Colombia's unique tamale traditions photo by Michael Hopkinsii (via Flickr)

Not your average tamale: Colombia's unique tamale traditions

by : Becky Johnson posted :

Tamales are a classic Colombian food that you shouldn't miss on your tour of the country. Tamales have become incredibly popular in the United States in recent years. Once considered a typical holiday meal for many Latino families, the desire for tamales has caused an explosion in these tasty packages of awesomeness. Tamales are found in almost every Hispanic culture, but methods of cooking and a variety of unique ingredients are used in each country, and indeed, even city by city. Most people are familiar with the Mexican-style tamale, but Colombian tamales are growing in demand as people explore new cultures and flavors.

Tamale in plantain leaf photo by Ewan Munro (via Flickr)
Tamale in plantain leaf

History of the tamale

Tamales are an ancient food, possible emerging in Pre-Colombian history as early as 7000 BCE. No one knows for sure where the tamale originated, but it seems to be born of creativity and necessity. The ability of tamales to be made ahead, easily transported, and warmed as needed, likely made them very appealing for frequently warring and traveling Mesoamerican tribes. Masa flour was already a staple food, and the fact that tamales could be made using any available fillings made them easy to adapt.

The Colombian difference

Colombian tamales share quite a few differences with tamales from other countries; they are less spicy than Mexican tamales, they are wrapped in plantain or banana leaves, and lard is not typically used to mix the masa. However, even in Colombia, no two tamales are alike and you will find many, many varieties as you travel from one part of country to the other. Some popular varieties include:

  • Tamales Santafereños o Bogotanos, which are made with chicken or pork belly, pork ribs, carrots, peas, potatoes, and chickpeas.
  • Tamales Tolimenses, from the Tolima region, are made with chicken, pork, boiled egg, carrots, peas, potatoes, and rice. These tamales are usually ball-shaped, rather than the traditional rectangle.
  • Tamales Antioqueños are from the Antioquia region and include multiple types of marinated pork, potatoes, carrots, and peas.

Breakfast of champions

There is an old saying, "Eat breakfast like a king, have lunch like a prince, and eat dinner like a pauper." Tamales are one way that Colombians eat breakfast like kings. The Tolimense tamale is especially popular as a breakfast food, served with… can you guess? Hot chocolate. This combination of sweet and savory packs a lot of nutrition density into the morning. Tamales are also closely tied to Christmas celebrations, with many families enjoying tamales after the midnight mass on Christmas eve.

Tamales con pollo photo by Ron Dolette (via Flickr)
Tamales con pollo

Ready to try a tamale of your own?

Here is a recipe for Tamales Tolimenses, courtesy of My Colombian Kitchen.

Ingredients (12 tamales)

Filling:
  • 2 pounds of pork ribs, cut into small pieces
  • 12 pieces of chicken
  • 1 pound pork belly, cut into small pieces
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 6 cooked eggs, sliced
  • 1 cup peas
  • 3 cups cooked rice
Marinade:
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 3 tablespoons sazon goya with azafran or color salt
  • 2 cups water
Masa:
  • 1 pound yellow precooked corn meal (masarepa)
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • salt
  • 1/2 cup marinade
  • 2 tablespoons sazon goya with azafran or color salt
Wrapping:
  • 2 pounds plantain or banana leaves, cut into pieces about 15 inches long
  • string
  • water and Salt to cook the tamales

Directions

  1. Place all the marinade ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade to prepare the masa.
  2. In a large plastic bowl place all the meat, add 1 1/2 cups of the marinade. Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight.
  3. To prepare the masa: Place the masarepa in a large bowl, add the water, salt, sazon goya or color and reserved marinade. Mix well with a wooden spoon or your hands.
  4. Wash the leaves well with hot water and set aside.
  5. To assemble the tamales: Place 1 piece of the leaf on a work surface and place a second leaf on top, pointing in the opposite direction, like forming a cross.
  6. Spread 1/2 cup of masa and about 1/4 cup of rice in the center of the banana leaves, at the point where they connect and form a cross. Place, 1 piece pork belly, 1 piece of chicken and 1 piece of rib on top of the masa and place about 1 tablespoon of peas, 1 or 2 slices of carrots and 2 slices of potatoes on top of the meat.
  7. Bring the corners of the banana leaves up to the middle of the filling, and tie it with butcher's string right above the filling, so that there is a tuft of leaves above the string (see picture). Continue the process until all the tamales are wrapped and tied.
  8. Bring a large pot with salted water to a boil. Add the tamales and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 2 hours. Remove the tamales from the pot and let them sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Cut the stirring and serve in the leaves.

Try tamales from Bogota, to the coffee-growing region, to the Caribbean coast on any of Uncharted Colombia's treks and tours. Colombia is waiting.

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