Sweet bean tamales

18 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
⅔ cup Lard
2 tablespoons Sugar
1½ teaspoon Salt
1½ pounds Fresh masa for tamales
1 cup Water
Corn husks
1 quart Pinto beans; cooked -- drained
¼ cup Lard
1 cup Crushed panocha (Mexican brown sugar) or dark sugar
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground cloves
2 cups Raisins soaked in hot water for 1/2 hour

Directions

SWEET BEAN FILLING

Whip lard, sugar and salt in electric mixer until fluffy. Add masa gradually, alternating with water.

Beat until fluffy. Test by placing small sample of mixture in glass of water. If sample floats, masa is ready.

Soak corn husks in hot water 10 minutes, until flexible. Rinse and drain. To make small tamales, place 1 tablespoon masa on broad end of husk and spread to each side. Place 1 heaping tablespoon bean mixture in center. Fold sides of husks to cover filling with edges overlapping. Fold pointed end toward tamale. Pinch open ends together. Place cup size wad of foil in large kettle. Add 2 cups water.

Arrange tamales in pyramid, open end up, folded end placed against foil to hold shut. Steam, covered, 40 minutes. Makes 18 to 24 tamales.

Each of 18 tamales contains about: 380 calories; 202 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 62 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.39 grams fiber.

SWEET BEAN FILLING - Mash drained beans. Heat lard in skillet. Add beans, panocha, cinnamon, cloves and drained raisins. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent beans from burning. Cool before using.

Variation: Add 1 cup pecans to bean mixture.

Source: Amalia Ruiz Clark, 78, of Oracle, AZ, teaches regularly in Tucson. She published, "Special Mexican Dishes", available through mail order. Send $13 to Gila River Designs, P.O. Box 124, Oracle, AZ 85623.

Presented by: Barbara Hansen, Times Staff Writer, L.A. Times article, "The Tamale Teacher", 2/16/95, page H9.

Recipe By :

From: Dan Klepach Date: 06-16-95 (159) Fido: Cooking

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