Title: Chilahuates (Banana Leaf Wrapped Tamales)
Categories: Mexico, Tamales
Yield: 1 Servings

1 c Black beans
4 c Masa harina
1/2 c Vegetable shortening
2 c Vegetable broth; lukewarm
1 ts Salt
1 ts Baking powder
3 Banana leaves
1/4 c Vegetable oil
1 Garlic clove; finely chopped
1/2 c Scallions; finely chopped
1 Chayote squash; finely
-chopped
6 Jalapeno chiles; stemmed and
-finely chopped
1/2 c Almonds; blanched and finely
-chopped
1/4 c Chopped fresh cilantro
Salt; to taste

Put the beans in a medium pot, add water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the
heat and simmer, covered, for 1-2 hours (depending on the size and age of
the beans). The beans are cooked when their skins break easily when
stirred.

In a mixing bowl, beat the masa harina with the vegetable shortening,
alternating with the broth until it is light, about 10 minutes. Add the
salt and baking powder. Beat 2 minutes more.

Clean and boil or char the banana leaves (if you can't find them already
precooked). Trim out the hard veins and cut the leaves into approximately
8-10" squares.

Heat the oil in a skillet and saut‚ the garlic and scallions until golden.
Add the chayote, chiles, almonds, cilantro, and beans. Mix completely,
stirring and cooking everything together. Season with salt to taste.

On a banana leaf square spread out a little less than 1/2 cup of the masa
harina like a pancake. Top with approximately 2 tsp. of the vegetable/bean
mixture. Fold over the leaf like a package and repeat with the remaining
leaves and filling. Place the tamales in a steamer, overlapping them
diagonally to allow steam to pass through, cover the pot and steam for at
least 1 1/2 hours, checking the water level from time to time.

(Peel away the leaf and only eat the filling.) Serve with tomatillo or
chipotle chile salsa, accompanied by Atole (a hot masa-based drink) for
authenticity.

[ SOURCE 1998-Ap http://www.melissas.com/ ] >>Hanneman/Buster

Recipe by: A Cook's Tour of Mexico by Nancy Zaslavsky

Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by KitPATh on Apr 17,
1998