Peruvian

Tamal peruano

A classic Peruvian tamal made with soaked white corn, ají panca, pork, peanuts, egg, and olives, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until fragrant. Serve it warm with salsa criolla for the traditional Sunday breakfast feel.

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Ingredients

• Dried peeled white corn for tamales, maíz mote pelado250g
• Pork shoulder or pork belly, cut into 2 chunks180g
• Pork lard3 tbsp
• Red onion, finely chopped1/2 medium
• Garlic cloves, minced2
• Ají panca paste2 tbsp
• Ají amarillo paste1 tsp
• Ground cumin1/2 tsp
• Dried oregano1/2 tsp
• Pork or chicken stock1 1/2 cups
• Roasted peanuts, roughly ground3 tbsp
• Hard-boiled egg, quartered lengthwise1
• Botija or black olives, pitted2
• Banana leaves, cleaned2 large pieces
• Kitchen twine or strips of banana leafas needed
• Saltto taste
• Black pepperto taste
• Red onion, thinly sliced, for salsa criolla1/2 small
• Lime juice, for salsa criolla1 tbsp
• Ají limo or fresh chili, thinly sliced, for salsa criollato taste
• Cilantro leaves, for salsa criolla1 tbsp

Method

1. Rinse the dried peeled corn well, cover it with plenty of cold water, and soak it for 12 hours or overnight.
2. Drain the corn, place it in a pot with fresh water, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes until tender but not mushy.
3. Drain the corn and grind it while still warm in a food mill, blender, or grinder, adding a little stock as needed to make a thick, coarse paste.
4. Heat the lard in a heavy pot over medium heat, add the pork, season with salt and pepper, and brown it on all sides.
5. Add the chopped red onion and cook until soft and lightly golden, about 6 minutes.
6. Stir in the garlic, ají panca paste, ají amarillo paste, cumin, and oregano, and cook the aderezo slowly for 5 minutes until the oil turns deep red and aromatic.
7. Add 1 cup of stock, cover, and simmer the pork for 25 to 30 minutes until tender; remove the pork pieces and reserve the seasoned cooking liquid.
8. Stir the ground corn into the pot with the red aderezo and cooking liquid, then cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the masa is glossy, thick, and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
9. Fold the ground peanuts into the masa and adjust the salt.
10. Pass the banana leaves briefly over a flame or hot pan until flexible and glossy, then wipe them clean.
11. Place half of the masa in the center of each banana leaf and spread it into a thick rectangle.
12. Add one pork piece, two wedges of hard-boiled egg, and one olive to the center of each portion.
13. Cover the filling with the masa, fold the banana leaf tightly into a rectangular packet, and tie securely with twine or banana leaf strips.
14. Set a steamer with water to a steady simmer, place the tamales seam side down, cover, and steam for 60 to 75 minutes, adding more hot water if needed.
15. Let the tamales rest for 10 minutes before opening so the masa firms up.
16. For the salsa criolla, rinse the sliced onion briefly, drain, then toss with lime juice, ají limo, cilantro, and salt.
17. Serve each tamal warm in its opened banana leaf with salsa criolla on the side.

Common questions