Colombian Holiday Plate: Tamales with Hogao and Aji

About This Recipe

Colombian tamales are a holiday and Sunday-morning tradition, distinct from Mexican tamales in that they're typically wrapped and steamed in banana leaves rather than corn husks, and packed with a heartier filling that includes rice, potato, pork and sometimes chicken or egg, all bound in a soft, corn-based masa. This holiday plate recipe scales the technique for a home kitchen while keeping the traditional layered filling that makes Colombian tamales feel like a full meal wrapped in a leaf. The masa is built from precooked cornmeal (masarepa) enriched with pork broth and a little achiote for its warm golden color, giving the tamale wrapper a deeper flavor than plain water-based masa. Layering pork, rice, potato and hogao inside before folding and tying the banana leaf packets is what gives each tamale its signature bite -- every forkful should hit a bit of everything. Steamed for a couple of hours until the masa turns firm and the filling is cooked through, these tamales are traditionally served with hogao and a spicy aji sauce on the side, making them a centerpiece for Colombian family gatherings, especially around Christmas and New Year's.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 4 cupsmasarepa (pre-cooked cornmeal)
• 4 cupspork or chicken broth(warm)
• 3 tbspachiote oil or annatto-infused oil
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 1.5 lbpork shoulder(cut into chunks)
• 1onion(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 2potatoes(peeled, cubed)
• 1 cuplong-grain rice(partially cooked, 10 minutes)
• 1 cupcarrots(sliced)
• 0.5 cupgreen peas
• 8 piecesbanana leaves(softened over flame)
• 1 cuphogao (tomato-onion sauce)(to serve)
• 0.5 cupaji picante sauce(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the pork

   Toss pork with onion, garlic, cumin and a pinch of salt. Let marinate at least 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the masa

   Combine masarepa, warm broth, achiote oil and salt in a bowl. Mix until it forms a soft, spreadable dough; let rest 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Prep the leaves

   Pass banana leaves briefly over an open flame or dip in hot water until pliable and glossy.

4. 4

   Assemble the tamales

   Spread a layer of masa on each leaf. Layer pork, potato, rice, carrot and peas in the center. Fold the leaf over the filling into a tight rectangular packet and tie with kitchen string.

   Don't overfill -- a packed but not bulging tamale steams through evenly, while an overstuffed one stays raw in the center.

5. 5

   Steam the tamales

   Stack tamales in a large steamer or pot with a rack, standing or layered above simmering water. Steam covered 2 to 2.5 hours, topping up water as needed.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Let tamales rest 10 minutes before unwrapping. Serve with hogao and aji picante on the side.

Variations

• •

  Chicken tamales: substitute bone-in chicken thighs for pork, adjusting steam time down slightly since chicken cooks faster.

• •

  Vegetarian version: skip the meat and add extra potato, carrot and a boiled egg per tamale.

• •

  No banana leaves: parchment paper works in a pinch, though it won't impart the same subtle grassy aroma.

Storage

Refrigerate unwrapped or wrapped tamales in an airtight container up to 5 days. Reheat by re-steaming for 20 minutes or microwaving wrapped in a damp paper towel. Tamales freeze well, wrapped, for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions