Name: Tamal criollo
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 170 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 1000 g fresh choclo kernels — removed from cobs and ground to coarse paste; 110 g rendered pork lard — for masa and aderezo; 150 g red onion — finely chopped; 20 g garlic — minced; 50 g ají panca paste; 35 g ají mirasol paste — yellow dried chilli paste; 8 g fine salt — 3 g chicken, 5 g masa; 3 g ground cumin; 250 ml water — for masa, measured; 460 g boneless skinless chicken thigh — in eight equal pieces; 8 whole pitted black olives — large, one per parcel; 8 whole plantain leaf sheets — each approximately 30 by 30 cm, clean and intact; 3 m plain kitchen cotton twine — food-safe, cut into eight ties; 1500 ml water — for steamer below the rack; not part of edible masa

Tamal criollo — steamed Peruvian corn parcels with chicken

Yield 8 medium tamales

Prep 45 minutes

Cook 100 minutes

Passive 25 minutes

Total 170 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Tamal criollo — steamed Peruvian corn parcels with chicken

Tamal criollo is a Peruvian preparation of seasoned corn dough wrapped around a savoury filling and steamed. Peruvian sources document fillings of chicken or pork, while maize may be prepared from fresh choclo or treated dried kernels. The important identity here is the enclosed masa and savoury filling, not one universal maize texture.

Freshly ground choclo gives a relatively tender, slightly coarse dough. Cook it briefly with fat and ají before shaping so the parcels hold together instead of spilling through the wrapper. The chicken is cooked completely before it becomes the filling, while black olives add the concentrated salty note often found in criollo tamales.

The wrapper is a cooking envelope, not a food ingredient. Plantain leaves need softening over heat or hot water before folding so they will not crack. Steaming takes much longer than the final assembly, and the parcels should rest slightly before opening to keep the masa together.

Ingredients

For the corn dough

1000 g fresh choclo kernels — removed from cobs and ground to coarse paste
110 g rendered pork lard — for masa and aderezo
150 g red onion — finely chopped
20 g garlic — minced
50 g ají panca paste
35 g ají mirasol paste — yellow dried chilli paste
8 g fine salt — 3 g chicken, 5 g masa
3 g ground cumin
250 ml water — for masa, measured

Chicken and parcel fillings

460 g boneless skinless chicken thigh — in eight equal pieces
8 whole pitted black olives — large, one per parcel
8 whole plantain leaf sheets — each approximately 30 by 30 cm, clean and intact
3 m plain kitchen cotton twine — food-safe, cut into eight ties

Steamer water

1500 ml water — for steamer below the rack; not part of edible masa

Method

Cook the chicken filling.Heat 20 g of the measured pork lard in a covered heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chicken pieces and 3 g salt; cook for 18 minutes, turning until every thick piece reaches 74 °C. Transfer the fully cooked pieces to a clean tray. The chicken is fully opaque and reads at least 74 °C at the centre. Time: 18 minutes.
Soften the leaves.Warm plantain leaf sheets briefly over a low flame or dip in very hot water for 2 minutes, then pat dry. Trim any torn edges and cut eight food-safe ties from the twine. The leaves bend without cracking and have no brittle creases. Time: 2 minutes.
Sauté the ají seasoning.In a broad heavy saucepan melt 20 g of the lard on medium heat. Cook the chopped onion for 5 minutes, add garlic, ají panca, ají mirasol and cumin, and stir for a further 5 minutes. The ají has darkened slightly and no longer smells raw. Time: 10 minutes.
Cook the corn masa.Add the ground choclo and remaining 70 g lard to the seasoning, then pour in the full measured 250 ml water and the remaining 5 g salt. Stir over low heat for 15 minutes until thick. A spoon drawn through the masa leaves a groove that closes slowly rather than running immediately. Time: 15 minutes.
Let the masa settle.Spread the masa in a clean shallow tray and cool for 15 minutes, covered, until it can be handled without burning fingers. Keep cooked chicken separate from raw utensils. The masa is warm and pliable, no longer steaming strongly. Time: 15 minutes passive cooling.
Fill and secure eight parcels.Set a softened plantain leaf flat, spread one-eighth of the masa in the middle and place one fully cooked piece of chicken and one black olive inside. Fold into a tight rectangle and secure with a twine tie; repeat eight times. Each parcel stands closed without masa escaping from the ends. Time: 20 minutes.
Steam the wrapped tamales.Pour 1500 ml steamer water into the lower pot; keep the rack clear of the water. Arrange wrapped tamales above it, cover and steam over a steady medium simmer for 55 minutes, checking water level without letting the pot run dry. The masa has set enough to slice and no longer feels wet or fluid inside the leaf. Time: 55 minutes.
Rest before unwrapping.Remove tamales with tongs and rest on a clean plate for 10 minutes. Untie just before serving and discard the wrapper and string. The masa holds a clean slice and the filling remains centred. Time: 10 minutes passive resting.

Practical

Practical guidance

A tamal is one wrapped parcel; serve one or two according to appetite, unwrapped at the table. Do not eat the plantain leaf or its twine. The weight of ground choclo and amount of liquid matter: a thin batter leaks, while a dry dough will not soften during steaming. If using prepared masa made from dried mote instead, proportions and soaking time would be different and are not interchangeable here. Refrigerate cooked tamales in shallow containers within two hours, for up to three to four days, and steam or reheat until they measure 74 °C inside. If unwrapping a tamal reveals wet, unset corn paste, continue steaming before serving.

Control points

Parcels leak while steamingThe leaves were brittle or the masa was still too loose. Soften each leaf and cook the masa until a spoon makes a slow-closing groove.
Masa stays wetInsufficient covered steaming or overcrowded parcels restricted steam flow. Leave space and extend steaming until it sets.

Nutrition per 1 of 8 medium tamales

Serving size1 of 8 medium tamales
Caloriesapproximately 370 kcal
Carbohydrates45 g
Protein27 g
Fat13 g
Fibre6 g
Sodiumapproximately 820 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains pork fat; check for soy/wheat or other allergens in purchased ají pastes if manufactured products are used. Chicken filling must reach 74 °C before wrapping. Avoid contact between raw chicken and cooked masa. Cool finished parcels promptly and reheat to 74 °C.

Closing

Result: Corn masa seasoned with red and yellow ají encloses cooked chicken and black olives, then steams in softened plantain leaves.
Decisive control: The leaves were brittle or the masa was still too loose. Soften each leaf and cook the masa until a spoon makes a slow-closing groove.