707. TAMALES GISU

Red tamale:
1/3 c achote seeds
1/2 lb smoky bacon, chopped
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 head garlic, minced
3-4 thai bird or other hot chili peppers, finely minced or ground in a mortar and pestle
1 tbsp salt
1 c white cornmeal or grits, toasted
1 c cornstarch
2-3 c chicken broth, made from stewing chicken simmered with garlic and onion in water, with the cooked, finely shredded chicken meat added in

Soak achote seeds in 1 c of water until colour has been extracted, usually overnight. discard the seeds. Sautée the bacon, garlic, and onion until transparent. Add the achote water. Add the chili peppers, salt, black pepper and a cup or two of chicken stock. Bring to a full boil and slowly stir in the cornmeal until a thick paste has been formed, roughly 10 minutes. Dilute cornstarch in 1 to 2 c water. Stir in cornstarch mixture and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir occasionally.


White tamale:
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 head garlic, minced
1 tbsp salt
1 to 2 c masa harina
2-3 c chicken broth, made from stewing chicken simmered with garlic and onion in water, with the cooked, finely shredded chicken meat added in

Sautée the garlic and onion until transparent. add salt and a cup or two of chicken stock. bring to a full boil and slowly stir in the masa harina until a soft paste has been formed. Remove from heat. Cool both mixtures.

Assembly:

Wrap a couple tablespoonfuls of red tamale mixture next to a couple tablespoonfuls of white tamale mixture in a banana leaf or foil. secure well, then steam until cooked.


courtesy of: the scent of green bananas: food from the guambat

556. CHAMORRO RED RICE with BACON and ONIONS

3 cups short grained rice
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
6-8 slices smoky streaky bacon, finely chopped
achote (see note)


For this recipe, prepare rice for cooking in a rice cooker. Set aside. Sautée onion (or half a large one), with bacon, chopped finely. Drain off any excess oil, and add this to the rice pot. For a vegetarian version, add a little more onion, and a little hickory or kiawe liquid smoke, if desired. Add one scant tablespoon of the powder for every cup of rice cooked, but adjust it according to your colour preference--I like mine to be more orange, while others prefer a deeper, almost paprika-hued red. Close the lid to your cooker, and cook as regular rice. Mix the rice through to distribute the onions and bacon and it's done!

NOTE: Achote comes in seed form, which must be soaked, but also comes in more convenient powder or liquid forms. I use powder, which can be found in many latino food shops as annatto or achiote. i


courtesy of: the scent of green bananas: food from the guambat