Tamales Tamareños: Casanare Corn and Pork Tamales

Prepare the leaves and potato Wipe the banana leaves clean. Warm them briefly over a low flame or in a hot dry pan until they soften and bend without splitting; do not scorch them. Keep covered with a clean towel. Put the potato in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer for 5–7 minutes, just until the cubes are barely tender. Drain and set aside.

Cook the pork and chorizo filling Heat the oil in a heavy pan. Brown the pork in batches, then return it all to the pan with the onion, garlic, salt and 300 ml water. Cover and simmer gently for about 45–55 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender and cooked through. Add boiling water in small amounts if the pan becomes dry. In a separate pan, cook the chorizo until browned and fully cooked; crumble it. Keep raw-pork utensils separate from the cooked filling.

Finish and cool the filling Stir the cooked chorizo, peas and drained potato into the pork. Simmer for 5–8 minutes, until the peas are tender and the filling is moist but not runny. Taste and adjust salt. Spread it in a shallow clean dish so it cools more quickly; use it warm rather than piping hot when assembling.

Mix and rest the masa Combine the cornmeal, 10 g salt and 90 ml oil in a large bowl. Pour in warm water or unsalted pork cooking liquid gradually, mixing until the masa is soft and spreadable without cracking. Depending on the grind, you may not need every drop. Cover and rest for 20 minutes, then stir again. If it has firmed, mix in a little warm water.

Fill and tie each parcel Lay one large leaf piece over a smaller reinforcing piece. Spread about 150 g masa into a rectangle in the centre. Add about 110 g filling, leaving a border around the edges. Fold the long sides over the filling, then fold in the ends to make a sealed packet. Tie snugly with twine. Repeat, keeping the finished tamales covered so the leaves do not dry out.

Steam until the centres are safe Pour water into a large steamer or stockpot, keeping it below the rack. Bring it to a steady simmer. Arrange tamales seam-side up on the rack, cover tightly and steam for about 90 minutes. Check the water periodically and replenish with boiling water if necessary. Test the centre of more than one tamal with a clean thermometer; the masa and filling must reach at least 73.9°C. If a centre is cooler, rewrap and continue steaming, then check again.

Boil the yuca and serve While the tamales steam, boil the yuca in fresh water for about 25–35 minutes, until uniformly tender and easily pierced. Drain. Let the tamales stand for 10 minutes before untying. Open them at the table and serve one with yuca.