THURSDAY'S RECIPE: Mexican Tamales for Candlemas Day

Mexican tamales, freshly steamed and wrapped in corn husks, served with red and green salsa

A tradition that brings together: soft dough, flavorful fillings, and patient steaming. Basic recipe + sauces, variations, and tips from Chef Yerika.

On February 2nd, we celebrate Candlemas, and, as tradition dictates, those who find the baby Jesus figurine in the Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings' Bread) are responsible for providing tamales. Here's a professional-grade recipe for moist, flavorful, and perfectly cooked tamales, complete with two salsas (red and green), suggested fillings, steaming times, and regional variations to help you create a truly memorable feast.

A bit of history and tradition

Tamales predate the Conquest: nixtamalized corn wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and steamed. On Candlemas, the Mexican tradition is to gather with family and "pay" for tamales if you found the baby Jesus figurine in the Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings' Bread). There are hundreds of regional versions: red, green, rajas con queso (poblano pepper and cheese), mole, Oaxacan (wrapped in banana leaves), uchepos from Michoacán (made with tender corn), Yucatecan (cochinita pibil), and sweet tamales with raisins and pink coloring.

Yield, time and difficulty

• Yields: 20–24 medium tamales.
  

• Active time: 60–75 min.
  

• Total time: 2 h 15–2 h 45 (includes steaming)
  

• Difficulty: Medium (mass point and steam control)
  

Ingredients

For the dough (base)

• 1.2 kg fresh nixtamalized corn dough (or 1 kg nixtamalized corn flour + 800–850 ml warm broth)

• 250g lard (or 220g vegetable shortening/oil for a lard-free version)

• 12 g fine salt.

• 8g baking powder (optional, adds lightness)

• 400–500 ml warm stock (chicken/vegetable), only if you need to fine-tune the texture

• 30 dried corn husks (or 20 banana leaves passed through fire)
  

Red sauce (for red or pork tamales)

• 6 guajillo chiles, veins and seeds removed.

• 2 ancho chiles, veins and seeds removed.

• 2 roasted tomatoes.

• ¼ roasted onion.

• 1 clove of garlic.

• 300 ml broth.

• ½ tsp cumin, 1 bay leaf.

• Salt to taste.
  

Green sauce (for chicken or poblano peppers)

• 8 tomatillos.

• 1–2 serrano peppers (adjust spiciness)

• ¼ onion, 1 clove of garlic.

• 6–8 sprigs of coriander.

• 300 ml broth.

• Salt and a pinch of sugar (if balance is needed)
  

Suggested fillings (choose 1–2)

• Shredded pork (600 g) + red sauce.

• Shredded chicken (600 g) + green sauce.

• Rajas con queso: strips of roasted poblano pepper + Oaxaca cheese.

• Mole: shredded chicken + your favorite thick mole sauce.

• Sweets: add 120g sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and raisins to the dough (without salt or baking powder)
  

Mise en place (keys to success)

• Hydrated leaves: Soak corn husks in very hot water for 20–30 min. If using banana leaves, pass them over a flame to soften them.
  

• Well-aerated butter: beat until fluffy; when mixed with the dough, it floats in a glass of water (sign of lightness).
  

• Thick sauces: they should not be watery; a tamale with a runny sauce becomes excessively wet and breaks.
  

Step-by-step preparation

1) Sauces

Red: Toast the chiles 5–10 seconds per side. Rehydrate for 10 minutes in hot water. Blend with tomato, onion, garlic, broth, cumin, and bay leaf. Cook for 10–12 minutes until thickened. Adjust the salt. Green: Boil tomatillos and chiles for 6–8 minutes. Blend with onion, garlic, cilantro, and broth. Cook for 8–10 minutes; adjust the salt and, if it's too acidic, add a pinch of sugar.

2) Fillings

Mix pork with red sauce or chicken with green sauce (meats that are barely moist). For rajas, cut the roasted poblano pepper into strips and drain well; have the cheese in sticks.

3) Sponge dough

1. Beat the butter for 4–5 minutes, until it turns pale.

2. Incorporate the dough and salt; add the baking powder.

3. Adjust with warm broth, little by little: soft and spreadable, not liquid.

4. Try the glass test: a small ball should float; if it doesn't, beat a little more or add an extra tablespoon of butter.
   

4) Armed

1. Dry the drained leaves. Place the wider part towards you.

2. Spread 2–3 tablespoons of dough in the center (5–7 mm layer).

3. Add 1–2 tablespoons of filling.

4. Close: Fold the sides towards the center and then the bottom point upwards to form the package.
   

5) Steaming

1. Line the bottom of the steamer with leaves.

2. Arrange the tamales upright (opening facing upwards).

3. Cover with more leaves and the lid. Steam continuously for 75–90 minutes (check water every 25–30 minutes).

4. Let them rest for 15 minutes off the heat: they finish setting. They are ready when the dough comes away from the sheet.
   

How to serve

• Candelaria Classics: pork reds, chicken greens and poblano peppers with cheese.
  

• Serve with fresh salsa on the side, light cream and pickled onions (optional).
  

• For dessert, serve warm with milk or atole.
  

Rapid regional variations

• Oaxaqueños: banana leaf, slightly looser dough, filled with black or red mole; 90–100 min of steaming.
  

• Uchepos (Michoacán): made from tender ground corn with milk and butter (without nixtamal).
  

• Yucatecans: dough with lard and achiote; cochinita pibil filling.
  

• Veracruzanos: banana leaf, dried chilli sauce and pork.
  

Problems and solutions

• They break or become "chewy": very wet dough or liquid sauces → thicken the sauces and beat the butter better.
  

• They don't come off the sheet: there wasn't enough time → 10–15 min more steam.
  

• They dried out: too high a steam level or too much time → lower the heat, check the water level and cover with leaves.
  

Chef Yerika's Tips

• Deep flavor: Use broth in the dough, not just water.
  

• Aromas: add 1 tsp. of oregano to the dough or a few drops of coffee for reds (yes, it enhances the corn and chilli).
  

• Operation: assemble and freeze well-wrapped raw ingredients; cook directly from the freezer, adding 15–20 min.
  

• Serving: Keep them steaming gently for up to 45 minutes; avoid high heat in the microwave (it dries them out). In the end, good tamales aren't just a recipe: they're shared time around a pot that breathes corn and patience. They're assembled by different hands and served at the same table, where each package holds a memory. Candlemas gives us the excuse, but a craving and good company are reason enough for any day of the year. Take the time to stir the masa, adjust the salsa, and listen to the steam; that's the secret. Make a generous batch, invite your loved ones, and let the first bite do the rest.