Tamales Oaxaqueños

Ingredients

• 1kg masa harina for tamales
• 350g lard, at room temperature
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp fine sea salt
• 1.4 litres warm chicken broth
• 500g mole negro paste
• 600ml chicken broth, extra, for the mole
• 800g cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 packet banana leaves (about 700g), thawed if frozen
• kitchen string, for tying

Before you cook

• Cut the thick central rib off each banana leaf and wipe both sides with a damp cloth.
• Cut the leaves into rectangles roughly 25cm by 30cm and count out sixteen, plus a few spares for tears.
• Shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• Measure the masa harina, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and whisk them together.
• Take the lard out of the fridge early so it is soft enough to whip.

Steps

1. Pass each banana leaf rectangle over a gas flame or across a hot dry comal for about ten seconds a side, until the surface turns glossy and the leaf goes limp instead of brittle.
2. Stack the softened leaves and cover them with a damp cloth.
3. Put the mole paste in a saucepan over low heat and whisk in the 600ml of extra broth a little at a time until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.
4. Simmer the mole for ten minutes, stirring often so it cannot catch.
5. Stir the shredded chicken into the mole, then take the pan off the heat and let it cool.
6. Beat the lard in a stand mixer or with a hand whisk on high speed for five minutes, until it is white, light and looks like frosting.
7. Add the masa harina mixture to the whipped lard in three additions, beating well between each.
8. Pour in the warm broth slowly with the mixer running, until you have a soft, spreadable dough with the texture of thick hummus.
9. Test the masa by dropping a small piece into a glass of cold water. If it floats, it is aerated enough. If it sinks, beat it for another three minutes and test again.
10. Lay a banana leaf rectangle shiny side up in front of you.
11. Spread about 5 tablespoons of masa into a rough 12cm square in the middle of the leaf, keeping it about 5mm thick.
12. Spoon a generous tablespoon of the mole chicken down the centre of the masa.
13. Fold the two long sides of the leaf over each other so the masa closes around the filling.
14. Fold the two short ends underneath to make a flat sealed parcel, and tie it loosely with string if the leaf will not stay shut.
15. Repeat until you have sixteen tamales.
16. Set up a large steamer with 5cm of water in the base and a few coins in the water, which will rattle and warn you if the pot runs dry.
17. Stack the tamales flat in the steamer basket, layering them in a criss-cross pattern so steam can move between them.
18. Cover the stack with any leftover banana leaves and a tight lid.
19. Steam over medium heat for one hour and fifteen minutes, topping up with boiling water if the coins stop rattling.
20. Take one tamal out and open it. It is ready when the masa peels cleanly away from the leaf and holds its shape.
21. Let the tamales rest off the heat for fifteen minutes before serving, because the masa firms up as it cools and falls apart if you rush it.