The tamal, a dish known throughout the American continent, also has its place in Panama, where it is distinguished by being wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks.
The tamal is a renowned dish across the American continent, and Panama is no exception, with the particularity of being made in banana leaves rather than corn husks. The Panamanian tamale recipe typically includes ingredients such as corn masa, pork or chicken, olives, raisins, chickpeas, and spices like cumin and annatto.
Panamanian Tamales
Ingredients
1 ½ kilogram of Corn flour
1 ½ kilogram of Chicken
1 kilogram of Pork
1 Chopped onion
1 pinch of Annatto
1 cup of Plum raisins
2 Chilies
1 can of Tomato purée
3 Cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon of Oregano
1 pinch of Salt
1 pinch of Pepper
50 grams of Olives
50 grams of Capers
3 Tomatoes
3 Garlic cloves
Bell pepper
Banana leaves
Twine
Preparation
Step 1 : To prepare this delicious dish, first wash the banana leaves and boil them in water for 20 minutes.
Step 2 : Once ready, dry and set aside.
Step 3 : Then, season both the chicken and pork.
Step 4 : In a skillet with hot oil, brown the chicken and pork until sealed.
Step 5 : Add the chopped onion, garlic, chili, tomato, oregano, cilantro, tomato purée, annatto, salt, and pepper to the skillet, along with 3 cups of water.
Step 6 : Let it cook to form a delicious sauce.
Step 7 : Once ready, set aside the juice.
Step 8 : To prepare the dough, combine the flour with the cooking juice, mix well, and add hot water if necessary.
Step 9 : Then, add the olives, capers, raisins, and chili to the filling.
Step 10 : Place a stalk layer on banana leaves, then a spoonful of dough, the filling, and another layer of dough.
Step 11 : Wrap and tie with twine.
Step 12 : Repeat this process with all the filling and dough.
Step 13 : Finally, boil the tamales for 20 minutes, and they are ready to enjoy.
Step 14 : Enjoy your meal!
If you enjoyed this recipe, don't miss the next one!
Join the WhatsApp Channel to get it instantly
Subscribe via email to get the newsletter
