Green Tamales, recipes please. (Thanks Ike)

I’m going to make tamales for the third time.

For a change I’m going to make “green tamales”, which use a “Pipan Verde” type of mole sauce. The key to this variant on the more traditional “mole” preparation is the use of pumpkin seeds (wow, just in time for Hallowe’en and Thanksgiving). Please share with me anything you know about this recipe here, or in this thread.

We’re talkin’ about Tamales Verde, and no cracks about leaving them in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. I mean flavor, and not vintage, here.

Where in the supermarket do you buy moles? Are they between the shrews and the rats? Are moles expensive?

Not quite sure if this is what you are looking for.

4 to 6 chiles serranos
13 oz of tomates verdes with husks removed
l clove garlic
l/2 c chicken stock
1/2 c cilantro
1 T oil
1/4 onion
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded [12 oz each ]
salt
30 dried corn husks soaked in warm water until pliable
4 cups masa
1/2c melted lard

Cook chiles in saucepan with boiling water for 4 minutes. Add tomates verdes and cook 2 more minutes Drain and transfer tender. Add garlic and chicken stock, then puree Add the cilantro and process briefly.

Heat oil and saute onion until soft. Add tomate verde puree and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Put masa in large bowl, add 1 T salt and knead for 3 minutes. Add melted lard and knead 5 minutes more.

I assume that you know how to assemble and cook/steam the tamales…

Pipian verde:

12 chiles serranos
2 lb tomates verdes, husks removed
1/4 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 leaf of romaine lettuce
1 c coarsely chopped cilantro
1/3 c coarsely chopped radish leaves
1- 1/2 c unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/4 c unsalted peanuts
2 T oil

Add chiles to a sauce pan with boiling water; boil uncovered for 8 minutes then add tomates verdes and boil until they change color, 4-5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add onion, garlic, lettuce, cilantro and radish leaves, then puree and set aside.

Heat iron skillet, add pumpkin seeds and toast stirring constantly until they pop - about 3 minutes. Transfer to blender and grind with peanuts w/o adding any liquid.

Heat oil in skillet, add ground nuts/seeds and cook for 2 minutes while stirring constantly. Gradually add puree tomates verdes etc stirring well to get rid of lumps. Add 2 cups of reserved stock, correct seasonings, bring to boil, then simmer w/o cover for 10 minutes. Stir gently to avoid sauce separating. Add more stock if necessary.

I’m kicking this up to see if you saw the recipe for green tamales, but more importantly to see if you made them and, if so, how they’d turn out?

Hi there kiffa, glad you asked. I actually made mine with bottled pipan verde and pork. I’m going out to buy the masa preparada today and will probably make them this weekend.

Your recipe sounds so much more authentic! I love Serrano peppers. They have so much more flavor than Jalapenos. Would you be a complete dear and cross post your wonderful recipe over at my Ultimate Recipe Thread? (I must ask, where did you get the recipe? The radish leaves and such give it such splendidly peasant overtones.)

Thanks in advance.
::brandishes a stone pestle in hand::

“I have a molcajete and I’m not afraid to use it!”

Ya mean that you have a molcajete y tejote? Do you have its mate - metate y mano? Your Mexican cuisine is not complete without a properly cured cazuela… but that’s ok if ya don’t 'coz you can invite Brachy and I over for Mexican food anytime.

The cookbook is “Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook” now printed in paperback although I prefer the hardcover because the book is a work of art. It belongs to a series published by Stonehenge. The photos are wonderful and the recipes, on the whole, terrific.

Gotta go fix dinner for the kids now, but I’ll try to get back on line. Check for Ternera Guisada over on the recipe thread… to die for.

You’re swell kiffa! Guess I’m gonna have to start posting some of my salsa recipes too.