Name: Tamales with Pork in Red Chilli Sauce
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 110 min
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: mexikanisch
Ingredients: 500 g pork shoulder, cubed; 1.2 l water (for cooking the meat); 2 cloves garlic (for the stock); 0.25 white onion; 1 bay leaf; 1 tsp salt (for the stock); 2 dried ancho chillies, stemmed and deseeded; 3 dried guajillo chillies, stemmed and deseeded; 2 cloves garlic (for the sauce); 0.33 tsp ground cumin, freshly ground; 80 ml chilli soaking water; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 250 ml meat stock (from above); salt and black pepper (to taste); 360 g masa harina (corn flour for tortillas); 250 g lard; 1 tsp baking powder; 600 ml meat stock (from above, added gradually); salt (to taste, the stock is already salted); 20 large dried corn husks (a few of them for the steamer)

Preparation

Bring the meat to the boil with the garlic, onion, bay leaf, salt and the water and simmer, partly covered, for about 1 hour, until it shreds easily. Skim off the fat, shred the meat finely and save the stock.
Meanwhile, soak the chillies in warm water for about 20 minutes. Drain and blend until smooth with the garlic, cumin and the soaking water. Pour boiling water over the corn husks, weigh them down and leave to soften for 20 to 30 minutes.
Heat the oil, add the chilli sauce with 250 ml stock and boil for 8 minutes. Stir in the shredded meat, season with salt and pepper and leave to infuse for about 5 minutes; the filling should be boldly flavoured.
Beat the lard in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the baking powder and masa harina and stir in the 600 ml stock gradually, until you have a very light, smooth, spreadable dough. Season with salt.
Drain the husks. Spread some dough on each, put 1 to 1½ tbsp filling in the middle, then fold in the sides, followed by the bottom edge.
In a steamer pot, line the insert with soaked corn husks, fill with water to just below the base and stand the tamales upright, open side up. Cover with more husks and a tea towel, put the lid on and steam for 1 hour 15 minutes, topping up the water if needed. Serve hot.

Drink with it

Mezcal · excellent match
Mezcal Joven (Espadín), neat, with a glass of water
The smoke of the mezcal meets the roasted notes of the guajillo and ancho sauce and cuts the lard in the masa; because alcohol amplifies heat, drink it in small sips.
Tequila and Mezcal: What's the Difference?
Aged tequila · good match
Reposado, neat
Vanilla and caramel from the cask suit the sweetness of the masa and round off the chillies.
Tequila Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo: what aging changes
Tequila blanco · good match
Blanco, neat or with a splash of water
The peppery, fresh agave provides a clean counterpoint to the rich dough.
Dark beer · good match
Mexican dark lager (Negra Modelo style), ice-cold
Caramel and roasted notes meet the toasted chillies, and the cold and carbonation lift the lard from the masa.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue

Why it pairs well

Tamales are usually served with beer or atole; the smoke of the mezcal deliberately mirrors the roasted chillies in the filling.

Preparation

Bring the meat to the boil with the garlic, onion, bay leaf, salt and the water and simmer, partly covered, for about 1 hour, until it shreds easily. Skim off the fat, shred the meat finely and save the stock.
Meanwhile, soak the chillies in warm water for about 20 minutes. Drain and blend until smooth with the garlic, cumin and the soaking water. Pour boiling water over the corn husks, weigh them down and leave to soften for 20 to 30 minutes.
Heat the oil, add the chilli sauce with 250 ml stock and boil for 8 minutes. Stir in the shredded meat, season with salt and pepper and leave to infuse for about 5 minutes; the filling should be boldly flavoured.
Beat the lard in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the baking powder and masa harina and stir in the 600 ml stock gradually, until you have a very light, smooth, spreadable dough. Season with salt.
Drain the husks. Spread some dough on each, put 1 to 1½ tbsp filling in the middle, then fold in the sides, followed by the bottom edge.
In a steamer pot, line the insert with soaked corn husks, fill with water to just below the base and stand the tamales upright, open side up. Cover with more husks and a tea towel, put the lid on and steam for 1 hour 15 minutes, topping up the water if needed. Serve hot.

Drink with it

Mezcal · excellent match
Mezcal Joven (Espadín), neat, with a glass of water
The smoke of the mezcal meets the roasted notes of the guajillo and ancho sauce and cuts the lard in the masa; because alcohol amplifies heat, drink it in small sips.
Tequila and Mezcal: What's the Difference?
Aged tequila · good match
Reposado, neat
Vanilla and caramel from the cask suit the sweetness of the masa and round off the chillies.
Tequila Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo: what aging changes
Tequila blanco · good match
Blanco, neat or with a splash of water
The peppery, fresh agave provides a clean counterpoint to the rich dough.
Dark beer · good match
Mexican dark lager (Negra Modelo style), ice-cold
Caramel and roasted notes meet the toasted chillies, and the cold and carbonation lift the lard from the masa.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue

Why it pairs well

Tamales are usually served with beer or atole; the smoke of the mezcal deliberately mirrors the roasted chillies in the filling.

Tamales with Pork in Red Chilli Sauce

Preparation

Drink with it

Mezcal Joven (Espadín), neat, with a glass of water

Reposado, neat

Blanco, neat or with a splash of water

Mexican dark lager (Negra Modelo style), ice-cold

This pairs well too.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken in Mole Sauce

Pozole Rojo (Mexican red pork and hominy stew)

Tacos al Pastor with Pineapple

Tamales with Pork in Red Chilli Sauce

Preparation

Drink with it

Mezcal Joven (Espadín), neat, with a glass of water

Reposado, neat

Blanco, neat or with a splash of water

Mexican dark lager (Negra Modelo style), ice-cold

This pairs well too.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken in Mole Sauce

Pozole Rojo (Mexican red pork and hominy stew)

Tacos al Pastor with Pineapple