Tamales are corn dough, called masa, spread around a filling (or sometimes no filling at all), wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf, and steamed until tender. They’re one of the oldest foods in the Americas and one of the most beloved, and there’s more to them than most people realize. From the name itself to the way they’re eaten for breakfast in Mexico City, these are the facts about tamales we enjoy sharing most.
What does the word “tamal” mean?
In Spanish, one is a tamal and two or more are tamales. The word “tamale” for a single one is an English invention, built backward from the plural. Nobody in our kitchen will correct you either way.
The Spanish word comes from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. The original word is usually given as tamalli, and it’s most often translated as something like “wrapped.” That’s a fitting name for a food defined by its wrapper, and it’s a reminder that tamales were around long before Spanish speakers arrived to name them. If you want the longer story, we cover it in the history of tamales.
What are tamales made of, and do you eat the husk?
You don’t eat the husk. It’s a wrapper and a cooking vessel, and it keeps the masa moist while it steams. Unwrap it, set it aside, and eat what’s inside. It’s an easy mistake for a first-timer, and we promise you aren’t the first person to try a bite of husk.
Corn husks are the usual wrapper in northern and central Mexico and across the American Southwest. The husks are dried, then soaked in warm water to soften before they’re filled and folded. In southern Mexico and much of Central America, banana leaves are common instead. They make a moister, softer tamal and add a faint, grassy flavor. Some regions use other leaves altogether.
The dough is the real secret. Masa is made from corn that has been simmered and soaked in water with mineral lime (calcium hydroxide, not the citrus fruit), a process called nixtamalization. It loosens the tough outer hull of the kernel, changes the flavor, helps the ground corn hold together as a dough, and makes certain nutrients in the corn easier for the body to use. People in Mesoamerica were doing this thousands of years ago, and it’s still how good masa is made today.
Most masa for tamales is beaten with fat until it’s light and fluffy. There’s an old kitchen test that many families swear by: drop a small spoonful of the beaten masa into a glass of cold water. If it floats, it’s ready. If it sinks, keep beating.
Are there sweet tamales?
Yes, and they’re a treat. Tamales dulces are made with sweetened masa and often include raisins, cinnamon, pineapple or other fruit. Some are tinted pink. They’re a common choice for holidays and for breakfast with a hot drink.
On the savory side, the variety is close to endless. Pork in red chile and chicken in green salsa are two of the most familiar. Tamales de rajas, with strips of roasted poblano and cheese, are another favorite. Michoacán is known for uchepos, made from fresh sweet corn, and for corundas, small tamales often folded into a triangle shape. In the Huasteca region of eastern Mexico, cooks make zacahuil, a giant tamal that’s said to be big enough to feed a crowd and is traditionally baked in a pit or a wood-fired oven.
Every region, and honestly every family, seems to have its own version. Ask ten people about the right way to make tamales and you’ll get ten answers, all of them delivered with total confidence.
When do people eat tamales?
Any day is a good day, but tamales are most closely tied to the holidays. Making them takes time and a lot of hands, so families often gather to make dozens at once around Christmas and New Year’s.
One of our favorite tamale traditions comes from Día de la Candelaria, celebrated on February 2. On Three Kings Day, January 6, families share a rosca de reyes, a ring-shaped sweet bread with a small figure of the baby Jesus baked inside. Whoever finds the figure in their slice is traditionally expected to host a tamale gathering on February 2. It’s a fun way to stretch the holiday season by almost a month.
Tamales are also a breakfast food in much of Mexico. In Mexico City, street vendors sell them in the morning, often with atole, a warm corn-based drink. There’s even a famous breakfast called a guajolota, which is a tamal tucked inside a bolillo roll. It’s hearty, it’s portable, and it’ll keep you going until lunch.
Where can you get homemade tamales in Aurora?
Right here at El Chubby’s. Our tamales are homemade, and you can order them plain or smothered with chili. You’ll find them on the menu alongside our enchiladas. If you want a full plate, Combination #2 on our combination plates menu is smothered tamales with rice and beans. We offer three chili choices, hot green, mild green and red, and our green chili is made fresh every day.
Tamales are also sold by the half dozen or the dozen, which makes them easy to bring home for a family dinner, a game day, or the holidays when nobody has time for a tamalada of their own. To warm them up, steam them in their husks until hot all the way through. In a hurry, wrap a few in a damp paper towel and microwave them, checking every half minute or so. Keep them in the husk until you’re ready to eat, and remember, the husk stays on the plate. If you’d like them smothered at home, add a pint or quart of chili to the order and pour it on warm.
We’ve been serving our neighbors at 1191 S Abilene St since 1991, with dine-in, takeout and a drive-thru for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also order online for pickup or delivery. Come hungry, and bring a few tamale facts to share at the table.
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