Grain Free Yucatan Tamales Recipes

RED & GREEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Soak corn husks in a large bowl and completely cover with warm water. Place a heavy bowl or plate over them to completely submerge them underwater. Soak for 1-2 hours before using. Drain and pat dry before assembling tamales.
• In two medium skillets heat 2 tablespoons of oil in each over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and divide into 2 lb each (2 lb for each skillet).
• Sear chicken thighs on both sides over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add each one jar of enchilada sauce to each skillet. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes on low until chicken is tender.
• Pull chicken apart and mix with remaining. Keep both red and green pulled chicken separately. Set aside.
• Combine almond flour, cassava, tapioca, salt in a bowl and mix well.
• Add flour mix and baking powder to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add water and mix on medium speed.
• Add coconut shortening and mix on medium speed until mixture looks light and airy, about 1-2 minutes. Mixture should be soft, but not runny and easily spreadable.
• Spread about ¼ cup of masa onto each husk or center of banana leaf. To each tamal, add about 2 tablespoons of green enchilada chicken and 2 tablespoons of red enchilada chicken. Fold each side over the filling and make sure the opened edge of the tamal is facing up when placed in the steamer.
• Fill a large stockpot with 2-3 inches of water and place a steamer insert (at least 7 inches deep) in a stockpot, ensuring water does not touch the bottom of steamer. Line bottom and sides of steamer with the remaining corn husks. Stand tamales vertically in the steamer, with open ends up in a tightly packed single layer.
• Heat pot over medium-high until steam is visible, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover tamales with two clean and damp kitchen towels to trap heat, then cover tightly with a lid. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 1 hour & 30 minutes.
• Check the water level halfway through and pour more water as needed. Turn off heat and let tamales rest for 1 hour before unfolding.
• To test doneness, carefully uncover the pot and remove 1 tamal. Serve with your favorite Mexican crema or salsa.
• Leftover fillings can be used to make enchiladas, used for flautas, or crispy taquitos.
• If using banana leaves, pass leaves through an open flame to make leaves pliable, about 3-4 seconds on each leaf. Follow the same steps as corn husks tamales.

GRAIN-FREE YUCATAN TAMALES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Divide the cauliflower into florets. Working in 4 batches, transfer cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor, filling no more than halfway full. Pulse until it resembles cornmeal, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl as often as necessary to get everything evenly chopped.
• Scrape chopped cauliflower onto the center of a thin kitchen towel. Gather the cloth together and, working over the sink, twist it tightly to create a ball, then press the ball to squeeze out as much liquid as you can, creating a "mash".
• Return ½ of the mashed cauliflower to the food processor, along with the eggs and seasonings. Process until evenly mixed, about 15 seconds, scraping bowl if needed. Add rest of the mash and pulse to combine. You now have cauliflower masa!
• Scoop 1/3 cup masa onto the center of a piece of parchment, and spread evenly into a 5" square, about 1/4" thick. Scoop 2 tablespoons filling and 1 teaspoon sauce in a vertical line down the center of the masa, leaving space on all sides. Fold the right side of the parchment to the left so the masa just covers the filling, then lay the parchment flat again. Fold the left side over to the right so the masa completely covers the filling, and leave the parchment there. Now, just like with a burrito, fold the top and bottom edges of the parchment over the tamale, then fold the whole thing over left to right two times, resulting in a nice flat rectangular package. The parchment will be wet from the masa, but that's okay, the moisture will evaporate in the oven. Place tamales on a baking sheet, leaving an inch between them.
• Bake for about 30 minutes, rotating pans and flipping tamales over after 20 minutes, until the tamales feel firm and risen. Remove from the oven and let cool several minutes, then open the parchment so the tamales don't get overly steamed. Served with choice of sauce, chopped lettuce and tomato, sour cream, guacamole - whatever you like.