Tamales Negros (Black Tamales)
CDKitchen https://www.cdkitchen.com
Serves/Makes: 8 | Ready In: 2-5 hrs
Ingredients:
***Sauce***
2 tablespoons squash seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 chili pasa, toasted
1 chili guaque, toasted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 ounces bitter chocolate, melted
1/2 cup water
1 pound boneless chicken
***Dough***
2 pounds masa harina
6 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 pound butter or margarine, melted
***Assembly***
8 small dried pitted prunes
16 raisins, 2 for each tamale
16 pitted green olives, 2 for each tamale
Directions:
Put together eight 12 inch squares of aluminum foil (if you can find banana leaves, this is what they use in Guatemala).
Prepare a smooth sauce in the food processor with all the sauce ingredients except the chicken. Cook the sauce and the chicken together in a covered pan over moderate to low heat for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and cut it into 2 inch cubes. Set aside the chicken and the sauce.
Mix the dough ingredients together and simmer in a pan over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mash is thick and smooth. Set aside.
Put 1/2 cup of the dough in the center of the foil sheet. Smooth it out to a rectangle 4- x 5-inches and 1 inch thick. Top this with 2 Tbsp of the sauce and 1 cube of chicken.
Around the side gently press in the prune, raisins and olives. Fold the foil toward the center, seal it, then give the ends a twist around to seal the ends. (If you found banana leaves, you would fold it into a packet and tie with string). Cook in a steamer over moderate heat for 1 1/2 hours.
To serve, unfold the foil and cut around the edges with scissors, leaving the center part of the foil intact. It is your plate. For banana leaves, cut string and unfold. Serve hot.
Recipe Location: https://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/284/Tamales_Negros_Black_Tamales48995.shtml
Recipe ID: 3972
Don't forget to stop back at CDKitchen and write a review or upload a picture of this recipe!
This recipe is from CDKitchen https://www.cdkitchen.com
© 1995-2026 CDKitchen, Inc.