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Tamales are believed to have originated in Mesoamerica, around 500 to 800 BC. Their use has been noted in Aztec religious celebrations such as the Festival of the Jaguar God, Tezcatlipoca, where women stuffed the tamale with chillies and beans. Shrimp and chilli sauce filled tamales were also used in the celebration of the Aztec fire god Huehuetotl around the same time. Archaeologists, however, found that Mayans were preparing tamales long before the proliferation of Aztec culture.

Regional Growth

With the Spanish arrived in the Americas they brought the domestic pig, which provided lard that improved texture, flavour and malleability of the tamale dough. By the 17th century, Mexico had introduced the tamale into south-western California, and by the 1890's, the tamale had travelled as far north as New York, where one could here the words, 'hot tamales'! Today they can be found on the streets of Mexico, Central and South America, for an exceedingly (relative) cheap price.

How to Make Tamales

This relished classic of the Mexican kitchen is notoriously tedious to prepare. Firstly, one must boil dry corn kernels in a solution of water and 2% slaked lime, before soaking the kernels for up to a day to remove the hard outer shell and soften the starchy centre. The corn is then washed, rinsed and rubbed in order to discard any loose shell and rid the corn of excess lime solution. Finally, the corn is ground on a stone grinder, forming 'masa harina', before being mixed with lard to form a dough, called 'masa'. The tamales are then filled with various fillings, wrapped in corn husks and steamed.

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