Tamal Colombiano
A Colombian tamale genuinely, technically distinct from the site's existing Mexican Tamales rather than simply a regional version of it: it's wrapped in plantain or banana leaf instead of dried corn husk, and the masa itself is wetter and more stew-like, generously mixed with rice, potato, carrot, and peas with substantial chicken or pork and hard-boiled egg embedded directly in the dough, closer to a whole wrapped meal than the thinner masa-to-filling ratio typical of Mexican tamales. Real regional identities carry their own character: tamal tolimense, from Tolima, is a larger, chickpea-and-egg-studded Christmas dish, while tamal santandereano, from Santander, is distinguished by capers and raisins folded into the filling.
⚠ Contains: Egg. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 4 cups masa (corn dough)
- 500g chicken, cut into pieces
- 300g pork, cubed
- 1 cup rice, parboiled
- 2 potatoes, cubed
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 1/2 cup peas
- 4 eggs, hard-boiled
- 1 onion and 3 cloves garlic, for the sofrito
- Banana leaves, softened
Steps
- Season the chicken and pork with a garlic-onion sofrito and let marinate.
- Mix the masa with a portion of the sofrito and some broth until it forms a soft, wet dough.
- Lay out softened banana leaves, spread a layer of masa, and top with rice, potato, carrot, peas, meat, and a piece of egg.
- Fold the leaves tightly into a parcel and tie securely.
- Boil the tamales for 2.5-3 hours until fully cooked through.