Vegan Tamales

🇲🇽 Mexico

Servings: 12 Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 1 hour Total: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

2½ cups masa harina (280 g)
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ cup corn oil
2¼ cups warm water or vegetable broth
2 cups finely chopped mixed vegetables (carrots, squash, poblano peppers, red peppers, corn kernels)
12 large corn husks, plus 10 extra for lining the pot

Soak the corn husks in warm or hot water in a large pot, weighing them down with a plate to keep them submerged.
In a large bowl, mix the masa harina with baking powder, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Gradually add the warm water or vegetable broth, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
Slowly mix in the corn oil until the dough is creamy. Taste and adjust salt, garlic powder, or onion powder as needed.
Remove the corn husks from the water and drain on a kitchen towel.
Stir the chopped vegetables into the dough.
Spread about 6 tablespoons of dough onto each corn husk, fold the sides in, then fold the narrow end toward the center. Set aside and repeat with remaining husks.
Set up a steaming pot with a rack, adding water up to the rack level, and line the rack with extra corn husks.
Stand the tamales upright in the pot with open ends facing up, cover with leftover husks, and put the lid on.
Steam over medium-high heat for about 1 hour 15 minutes, adding ¼ cup water every 30 minutes as needed near the pot's edge.
Test doneness by removing a tamale, letting it rest 5 minutes, then checking if the husk separates easily from the dough; if not, steam 15 more minutes.
Serve hot with spicy salsa.

Cook time listed in source data (1 hour) is shorter than the time stated in the steaming step (1 hour 15 minutes); actual steaming may take longer.