Tamalitas

This Tamalitas are a traditional food in Belize, this recipe is my Mennonite version on it. It's often served in Belize at parties, weddings etc.

Tamalitas

Tamalitas Recipe

· 11 cups field corn, shredded

· 1 ½ cups margarine

· ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk

· 2 tbsp. salt

· ½ tbsp. Recado, optional

· Corn husks

· Corn cobs

After getting your corn from a local farmer discard the first outer layer of corn husks, and the smallest husks closest to the cob. Keep the rest of the husks to use for later. Use corn that isn’t dry enough to be threshed yet, but to dry for uncooked eating. Shred corn on a medium grater or cut off the kernels and blend in a blender for a firmer texture in the tamalita. Combine margarine, sweetened condensed milk, salt and Recado with the corn. Prepare Stew Chicken and combine with the corn. Fill corn husks with the corn mixture by placing a mound of filling onto the inside center of the husk. Fold the pointed end of the husk over the mound and fold over the sides to envelope the corn filling. In the bottom of a 5-quart pressure cooker, line with a layer of corn cobs, add water to cover cobs. Layer tamalitas in a standing position, on the cobs and cook 40 minutes on 5 lbs. pressure. Makes about 35 tamalitas depending on the size of the corn husks.

Stewed Chicken

· ½ lb. chicken

· ½ tbsp. ketchup

· ½ tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

· ½ tsp. Season-All

· ½ tsp. consommé

· ½ tsp. Recado, water to dissolve

· ¼ tsp. pepper

· ¼ tsp. vinegar

Cut chicken into large pieces. Rub chicken with the seasonings. Put chicken in a pressure cooker and add water to cover chicken. Cook on 10 lbs. pressure for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from the liquid and shred. Add chicken to the corn.

Notes

• 11 cups of shredded corn are about 45 ears of corn.

• Cooked tamalitas can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for a few months. Place in an airtight container or bag before freezing.

• Leftovers can be reheated in a microwave, steamed or baked until warmed up. My favorite is to remove the tamalita from the husk, place in a skillet with some butter and fry until heated through.