By Lesly Mendoza Martinez
I don’t have a favorite type of food, because I like all of them. I try new foods to taste different flavors. But if I had to choose one food specifically, it would be “Tamales Con Champurrado.” You may already know what tamales are but might not know what Champurrado is. Champurrado is a type of Chocolate drink that goes along with the meal, Tamales. This is my favorite food because it’s a tradition my family and I also do every Christmas! When the cold comes and where are all waiting till the big pot of tamales heats up on the warm stove. It’s really nice having your whole family with you together. You get to tell jokes and stories while we wait for dinner to be served.
The hot Champurrado gets ready after the Tamales get out of the hot stove. Once the pot is hot, it’s ready to take out. My father has to help my mother get it on top of the table. We then each take time to wash our hands and take a plate ready to serve. We all get excited. My sister grabs the cups while my mother starts serving the Champurrado. I see when my mother pours the chocolate into the cups. My belly starts to rumble and my mouth starts getting watery. When we all are ready to serve, my father opens the big pot. You can see the steam rising as he opens it. Like if the heat was preparing for that moment. We all try to run for the biggest tamale. It’s funny because we are all fighting when we obviously know there’s going to be leftovers. Everyone’s hands are in the air reaching for them. Everyone is grabbing something through the dinner table. I try to get the things I need to start eating. My mother gets the napkins and starts passing them down to us. I get my tamale out of its leaf. The warm smell rises to my face. I get my drink as the others are doing, and sit down till everyone is ready. When we are all ready, we give thanks together. It’s a peaceful time together. Peaceful words are exchanged. Everyone starts to enjoy every bite.
We all focus on eating till my father turns on the TV. We’re already used to my father turning on the television when we are starting to eat. We still eat like if it was the last time we'll eat tamales. Soon we end up watching a whole movie. During the movie, we eat our second or third tamale. When we finish eating, usually when the movie is about the end, we start getting desert. The dessert is either; bread, cookies, etc., with champurrado. In the end, we are all full and satisfied. We only eat tamales con champurrado once a year, but sometimes my mother sells tamales for people to enjoy as we enjoy them. She has stopped doing that because she has to stay awake till 3-4 in the morning to start preparing them. It takes a long time to prepare them. My sister and I sometimes help her, but she always sends us to sleep once it’s eleven. Even if it takes a lot of work, we still love them!
How to make Tamales (Como hacer Tamales):
Ingredients to prepare the Masa (Ingredientes para preparar la Masa);
4 cups (4 tazas) - Corn masa flour (Harina de maíz/Maseca)
3 cups (3 tazas) - Warm Water (Agua tibia)
1 cup (1 taza) Pork lard (Manteca de cerdo)
1 ½ tsp (1 ½ cdta) - Salt (Sal)
1 tbsp (1 cda) - Baking powder (Polvo para hornear)
TIP: You can subsitute pork lard with vegetable lard or corn oil, as well as the water with your favorite broth, we recommend using chicken or pork broth. (Puede sustituir la manteca de cerdo por manteca vegetal o aceite de maíz, así como el agua por el caldo de tu preferencia, te recomendamos caldo de pollo o cerdo.)
Preparing the Masa (Preparación de la Masa):
In a deep bowl or a mixer bowl, place MASECA Tamal corn masa flour and warm water, knead for 1 to 2 minutes or mix at low speed if using a mixer. Set aside. Then, Pour the lard in a skillet and heat until melted, add salt and baking powder, mix with a whisk or a spoon, set aside, and keep warm. After that, Add warm little by little to the bowl with the masa, kneading constantly; if using a mixer, use medium speed until all the lard is added. Lastly, Continue mixing until the dough is completely integrated, if using a mixer, increase speed and mix for 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside. (En una recipiente hondo o en el tazón de la batidora colocar la harina de maíz MASECA Tamal y en agua tibia, amase muy bien durante 1 a 2 minutos o a velocidad baja si es en la batidora. Reservar. Luego, Vacía la mantec en un sartén y llévelo al fuego para que se funda, agaregue la sal y el polvo para hornear mezclando con ayuda de un bateador u cuchara, consérvese tibia. Despues, Incorpore poco a poco la manteca tibia al recipiente donde está la masa, batiendo de manera constante; si lo hace en la batidora manténga a velocidad media hasta terminar de agarrar la manteca. Al ultimo, Siga batiendo hasta que la masa esté totalmente integrada, si está utilizando batidora aumente la velocidad y bata durante 4 a 5 minutos. Reservar.)
