Easy Homemade Tamales - I Will Create Food!

Occasionally we get the urge for some specific food and it sits there behind all other thoughts.  And try as we might to alleviate these cravings, by eating other foods or trying something closely related, they will remain there until they have been satiated. Recently this was tamales at our house.  While there are several good places in Seattle for fresh tamales, there is something to be said for pulling them hot from the stove top yourself.  And with a bit of preparation, they are actually pretty easy to make.

You will need:
Dried Corn Husks - I found mine at the grocery store with the tortillas and salsa
Masa - Corn flour - The instant variety worked fine for me and I found it in the same place.
Your filling - I used a simple chili pepper and cheese mix (one part finely diced chilies to 3 parts shredded cheese.  Shredded chicken or pork, beans and even diced shrimp all make excellent fillings too.
A sturdy pot to steam it all in.

Start by soaking the corn husks for at least 30 minutes, but an hour is ideal.

I had to weigh them down to keep them under the water.

Once the husks are easily pliable, make your masa. I found an instant variety that makes a nice smooth dough.

Now drain the water from your corn husks and squeeze out any remaining water.  Lay one husk flat and spread masa about 1/4 inch thick almost to the edges using the back of a spoon.

Grab your prepared filling.

Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons depending on the size of the husk.

Wrap the tamale towards the center making a nice folded package.

Stack the finished tamales in your steaming pot.

Steam for 45-50 minutes and you're done!

They're easy and awesome!