Easy Corn Tamales Recipes

Steps:

• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water until pliable, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dough: Combine the masa harina and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the corn and 1/2 cup hot water until combined. Add the butter and mix with your hands until evenly distributed.
• Remove the corn husks from the water and shake dry. Unfold the husks on a clean surface (discard any small husks or husks with holes). Put about 1/4 cup dough down the center of a husk; fold in the long sides to enclose the filling, then fold in the top and bottom to make a packet. Secure with kitchen twine. Repeat with the remaining dough and husks.
• Set up a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing up in the steamer and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until the tamales are firm, about 1 hour. Remove from the steamer and let rest 10 minutes before unwrapping.

Steps:

• Shuck corn, reserving a dozen or so large husks. Wash husks and lay flat in a dish of water to keep moist. Remove silks from corn and cut corn off cobs deeply. A corn cutter can be used, but I stand each ear upright in a large shallow bowl and cut from top to bottom with a sharp knife. The corn can be chopped in a food processor, blender, or food grinder - or with a metate, a three legged grinding stone that still is in use in the Southwest and Mexico. Grind the corn until it is doughy, though small pieces of fiber will remain. Season with salt and butter. Stir in enough corn meal to form a dough that holds its shape when pressed in the hand. If too crumbly, add more butter or a little water.
• Line a well greased 2 quart baking dish with corn husks, letting ends extend above rim. Spread a thin layer of the corn mixture over husks to anchor them. Sprinkle cheese over corn, then distribute chiles evenly in baking dish. Cover with remaining corn dough, fold husks over tamale, and press into top. Press additional husks into tamale. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake until firm but not dry, about 45 minutes. If top dries out before tamale is set, cover with foil. Serve hot with barbecued meat or beans.

Steps:

• Cut both ends of the corn, remove husks and save for wraping,(Put husk in water), cut corn kernels off the cob, use a spoon and scrap corn cobs.
• Place corn kernels in food processor, grind, Add cornmeal and grind together, set aside.
• Beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until creamy, add sugar, half and half and salt; ADD corn mixture and mix well.
• FOR each TAMALE, overlap two or more corn husk and spread some of the corn mixture onto the husk.
• Place one cheese strip and chile strips(I used about 1/2 of a whole chile in each tamale without seeds, seeds makes then HOTER your choice).
• Top with MORE corn mixture; Bring edges of husk over OR add another husk on top, to cover filling complety, Bring bottom of husk over tamale.
• Wrap in foil,lay tamale on foil, bring one side over, bring up the bottom, then bring other side over leaving top open.
• Place tamales upright in a steamer or large kettle with steamer basket in bottom.
• Steam for 45 to 50 minutes, enjoy.

Steps:

• Reconstitute the corn husks.
• Place 2 cups corn kernels in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse into a medium- coarse puree. Add the butter, and pulse 5 or 6 times. Add the masa, sugar, salt, and baking powder; pulse until thoroughly combined. Process until the mixture is light, fluffy, and homogenous, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
• Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup corn kernels until combined. Chill corn filling until ready to use.
• Assemble 14 tamales with the corn filling, using the large husks for wrappers and ties, and reserving the smaller ones to line the steamer basket and to cover the assembled tamales.
• Prepare the steamer, and steam the tamales. Let stand until the batter has firmed. Serve tamales with sour cream and Chopped Tomato and Serrano Salsa.