Receta Tamales Negros Guatemala

Discover the flavorful world of Guatemalan cuisine with this delicious recipe for Tamales Negros. Traditionally prepared for special occasions, these sweet and savory tamales balance rich chocolate notes with the depth of roasted vegetables and spices. A true celebration of flavors wrapped beautifully in banana leaves, each bite offers a taste of Guatemala's culinary heritage.

Ingredients

🌶️ 1 bell pepper orange
🍅 5-6 tomatoes fresh or canned
🌶️ 1 dried pasilla or ancho chili
🎃 2 oz pepitoria shelled pumpkin seeds
🌿 1 cinnamon stick
🌿 2 oz ajonjolí sesame seeds
🍫 4 oz chocolate unsweetened or Mexican cooking chocolate
💧 1/2 cup hot water
🥄 2 teaspoons cooking oil
🧂 1/4 teaspoon salt
🍬 Sugar to taste
🍪 Champurradas or Maria cookies for thickening if needed
🌽 2 cups corn flour masa harina
💧 5 cups water
🧈 1 cup butter, oil, or lard melted
🍬 3/4 cup sugar
🧂 1 teaspoon salt
🍦 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or cream essence if desired
🍖 Meat of choice chicken, pork, turkey, or duck
🍇 Raisins a few
🍑 Prunes a few
🌶️ Sliced bell pepper for garnish
🌿 Banana leaves for wrapping

Instructions

1- Prepare the Recado (Sauce):

Roast the bell pepper, tomatoes, and pasilla chili on a comal or pan lined with aluminum foil until charred.
Toast the pepitoria and cinnamon stick in a separate pan, then add the ajonjolí seeds until fragrant.
Dissolve the chocolate in hot water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth.
Blend roasted vegetables, toasted seeds, and dissolved chocolate until smooth.
Heat oil in a saucepan, add blended sauce through a sieve, and season with salt and sugar. Thicken with cookies if needed. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

2- Prepare the Masa (Dough):

In a large pot, dissolve corn flour in water.
Add melted butter, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Include vanilla or cream essence if desired.
Cook over medium heat, stirring until the masa thickens and boils. Let cool.

3- Assemble the Tamales:

Lay a banana leaf on a surface. Add a portion of masa in the center.
Spoon some recado onto the masa and top with a piece of meat.
Optionally add raisins, prunes, or bell pepper slices.
Wrap tightly in banana leaves and foil.

4- Cook the Tamales (Steaming):

Place tamales in a steamer basket within a large pot and add water just below the basket.
Cover tamales with a plastic bag or additional leaves and foil. Steam for 1.5 hours, checking water every 20-30 minutes.

5- Serve:

Remove tamales from the steamer, let cool slightly, then unwrap and serve.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 340
Protein: 8g
Fat: 18g
Carbohydrates: 42g
Equipment: Comal or flat pan, non-stick frying pan, small bowl/ramekin, blender, saucepan, sieve/strainer, large pot, wooden spoon, metal spoons/forks, steamer basket, aluminum foil, plastic bag for covering