Nacatamal (Nicaraguan Sunday Tamale)

About This Recipe

If the pupusa is El Salvador's everyday bread, the nacatamal is Nicaragua's Sunday feast. Far larger than its Mexican cousin — each one weighs nearly half a kilo — the nacatamal is a brick of lard-enriched masa packed with a bone-in piece of pork, a slice of potato, a strip of red bell pepper, an olive, a few raisins, a sprig of fresh mint (yerbabuena), and a small handful of pre-cooked rice, all wrapped in two layers of banana leaf, tied with string, and steamed for at least three hours. The result is a tamale so substantial that two are a meal, eaten on weekend mornings with bread, sweet coffee, and a glass of orange juice — never on a weekday, because making them is a multi-hour family affair. The mint is the surprising note that defines Nicaraguan nacatamal versus other Central American tamales — its cool aroma lifts the richness of the lard and pork.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 1 kgmasa harina, Maseca brand
• 300 glard, melted (use rendered pork lard, not vegetable)
• 1.2 Lwarm chicken or pork stock
• 1 mediumwhite onion, blended into the stock
• 4 clovesgarlic, blended into the stock
• 1 tspground achiote (annatto) for color
• 1 tbspfine salt
• 1.2 kgpork shoulder, cut into 8 large chunks (bone-in pieces preferred)
• 1 tbspsour orange juice (naranja agria) or 50/50 lime and orange
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 cupwhite long-grain rice, parboiled 5 minutes and drained
• 3 mediumwaxy potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1 cm rounds
• 2 mediumred bell peppers, cut into 16 strips
• 16green olives
• 60 graisins
• 16 sprigsfresh yerbabuena (spearmint), not peppermint
• 8 largebanana leaves, plus extra for lining
• kitchen string for tying

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the pork

   Toss pork chunks with sour orange juice, cumin, half the salt, and a clove of crushed garlic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

2. 2

   Prepare banana leaves

   Pass each leaf briefly over an open flame or a hot dry skillet — they will turn glossy and become pliable. Cut into 30×35 cm rectangles. You'll need two per tamale.

3. 3

   Make the masa

   Combine masa harina with remaining salt and achiote. Whisk in melted lard, then gradually add the seasoned stock (onion-garlic-blended). You want a thick but spreadable batter, like soft mashed potato. Beat 5 minutes until light and fluffy — this is critical for tender masa.

4. 4

   Set up your station

   Lay out two banana leaf rectangles per tamale, crossed perpendicularly. On the center of each pair, place: a heaping cup of masa spread to a 15 cm circle, a piece of pork on top, then potato slice, pepper strip, two olives, a small pile of raisins, a tablespoon of parboiled rice, and two mint sprigs.

5. 5

   Fold and tie

   Fold the bottom leaf up over the filling, then sides in, then top down — forming a sealed packet about 12×8 cm. Wrap the second leaf around perpendicular to the first for extra security. Tie firmly with string in both directions, making a cross.

6. 6

   Stack to steam

   Line the bottom of a large stockpot with leftover banana leaf scraps and a few wooden chopsticks crisscrossed (to keep tamales off the water). Stack tamales upright. Add water to come a third up the side of the tamales.

7. 7

   Steam 3 hours

   Cover tightly, weight the lid with a heavy plate, and steam over medium-low for 3 hours. Check water every 45 minutes and top up with boiling water as needed. Never let it run dry.

8. 8

   Rest before opening

   Pull from heat and let the pot stand sealed 20 minutes. Untying a tamale immediately gives a softer, runnier masa; resting lets it firm up.

9. 9

   Serve

   Place each tamale unopened on a plate. Each diner unties their own, eating directly from the leaf with a fork. Serve with bread, sweet coffee, and orange juice.

Variations

• •

  León style adds tomato slices and skips the raisins.

• •

  Managua urban version uses tomato sauce blended into the masa for a redder color.

• •

  Vegetarian: replace pork with a thick slice of squash and add an extra mint sprig.

Storage

Wrapped tamales keep refrigerated 5 days. Re-steam 25 minutes to revive. Freeze up to 3 months; steam from frozen, adding 45 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions