Green Chile and Cheese Vegetarian Tamales

Tamales are a mexican classic. These delicious tamales are stuffed with our roasted green chiles and vegetarian cheese. It is also gluten free. You will love the delicious flavor.

Edited recipe and picture from: Isabel Eats 

Ingredients:

FOR THE DOUGH

• 3 1/4 cups instant corn masa flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil (or other neutral-tasting oil for vegetarian)
• 2 1/4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian)

FOR THE FILLING

• 12 ounces spicy Pepper Jack cheese (or Asadero or Monterey Jack)
• 5 large of our Roasted Chile Peppers (thawed, seeded, peeled, and chopped)
• 1/2 packet corn husks

Directions:

PREPARE THE CORN HUSKS

1. Place the corn husks in a large bowl and fill with hot water. 
2. Place a heavy mug or something on top of the corn husks to help them stay submerged. 
3. Set aside for an hour to soften.

MAKE THE DOUGH

1. In a large bowl, add the instant corn masa flour,  salt and baking powder. 
2. Mix together with a fork.
3. Add in the oil and broth. 
4. Mix everything together using your hands until the mixture forms a wet dough. 
5. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and set aside for 30 minutes. 
6. Meanwhile, make the filling.

MAKE THE FILLING

1. Cut the cheese into 24 strips. 
2. Set aside.
3. Cut the chiles into thin strips. 

FILL AND WRAP THE TAMALES

1. On a large corn husk with the pointy side facing away from you, spread a heaping spoonful of the prepared masa onto the bottom half of the husk using the back of your spoon. You want to have a thin layer of masa on the corn husk, but not thin enough that it’s transparent and rips. If spreading the masa with the back of a spoon is too hard, you can spread and flatten the dough onto the corn husk using your fingers. 
2. Fill with 2 or 3 strips of roasted chiles and a portion of cheese.
3. Fold the long edges of the corn husk together like a book. Then fold over the remaining edge once more.
4. Fold in the pointy edge and secure the whole thing with a tie made from a thin strip of corn husk. 
5. Repeat with the remainder of the masa. 

STEAM THE TAMALES

1. Fill the bottom of the steamer pot with water cover with the steamer insert. 
2. Place the tamales in the steamer with the open end facing up, making sure to lean them against the side of the pot so they don't fall down.
3. Cover and place steamer over medium-high heat. 
4. Steam for 60 to 90 minutes, until the tamale dough is cooked through. 
5. Remove tamales from steamer and let sit for 3 minutes.
6. Then serve.