Red Chile Pork Tamales in Corn Husks

What you need

• 4 dried guajillo chiles
• 6 dried ancho chiles
• 1 kg (2.2 lb) pork shoulder, skinless, cut into large chunks
• 250 g (9 oz) lard, at room temperature
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 20 dried corn husks, plus a few extra for tying and lining
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 300 g (2 1/2 cups) masa harina for tamales
• 450 ml (2 cups) hot chicken stock, plus a little more if the dough is stiff
• salt, to taste

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Stem and seed the guajillo and ancho and tear them up. Put them in a bowl, pour boiling water over and leave to soften for 20 min.

2. 2

   Season the pork all over with salt.

3. 3

   Melt 50 g (2 oz) of the lard in a large heavy pot over high heat. Brown the pork on all sides in batches, then lift it out and keep the fat in the pot.

4. 4

   Put the soaked chiles and their liquid in a blender with the garlic, cumin, pepper and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend until completely smooth.

5. 5

   Pour the chile sauce into the pot, rinsing the blender with a splash of water. Return the pork and bring to a simmer.

6. 6

   Cover and simmer gently until the pork falls apart when pressed, 2 1/2-3 hours. Stir now and then and add water if the sauce gets too thick.

7. 7

   Lift out the pork, shred it with two forks and stir it back into enough sauce to coat it well. Taste for salt.

8. 8

   Meanwhile, cover the husks with very hot water and soak until soft and pliable, at least 30 min.

9. 9

   Beat the remaining 200 g (7 oz) lard with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, 3-4 min. Beat in the baking powder and 1 tsp salt.

10. 10

    Add the masa harina a couple of spoonfuls at a time, alternating with the stock and letting each addition absorb. Beat until the dough is soft and spreads like thick frosting, about 10 min.

11. 11

    Drop a small piece of dough into a glass of cold water. If it floats, the dough is ready; if it sinks, beat a few minutes more.

12. 12

    Pat a husk dry and lay it smooth side down with the wide end towards you. Spread a thin layer of dough over the wide half, leaving a 2 cm (3/4 in) border on the sides.

13. 13

    Spoon about 2 tbsp of pork down the centre. Fold the sides together so the dough wraps the filling, fold the narrow end up and tie with a strip of husk.

14. 14

    Line the steamer basket with spare husks and stand the tamales in it, open end up, packed snugly. Add water below the basket without letting it touch the tamales.

15. 15

    Cover tightly and steam over medium heat until the dough pulls cleanly away from the husk, 1 1/2-2 hours. Top up the boiling water as needed.

16. 16

    Let the tamales rest in the steamer with the heat off for 10 min before serving.

Imported from andy-cooks.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.