Chipotle Sweet Potato Tamales Recipe
Who says sweet potatoes must be smashed into a 9 by 13 and covered with browned mini-marshmallows? This fun twist on traditional tamales will treat your taste buds to a whole new sweet-potato world!
Tamales are quite a bit of work. But, the nice thing about them is you can gather friends and family around the table to help share the work and make lots of great culinary memories in the process. Even small kids can spread masa on a corn husk! You never know – tamales could become one of your new holiday traditions.
I decided to add a little sweet and a little spice – chipotle goes well with sweet potatoes. And pecans – or hazelnuts – in the center? Yes indeed!
Spreading masa on corn husks
Sprinkling nuts on masa
CHIPOTLE SWEET POTATO AND PECAN TAMALES
Prep time: one hour - Cook time: one hour
Makes One dozen Tamales
1 – 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
A little canola oil spray
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 – 1/2 cups dried instant masa flour
2 tablespoons tapioca powder
1 – 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 ounces diced pecans or hazelnuts, toasted
Corn husks for wrapping, soaked in water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut sweet potatoes in half and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Spray with a little oil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove skins and mash finely with a potato masher or food processor. You should have 2 cups mashed sweet potato flesh. Place in a mixing bowl.
Bring to a boil the butter, sugar, broth and salt. With mixer on medium, mix in the broth mixture with the sweet potatoes until smooth. With mixer running, add in chile powder, cumin, masa, tapioca and baking powder a little at a time. Mix until fluffy, about 10 minutes on high speed. Let sit 10 minutes on counter to make sure masa is fully hydrated.
Spread 1/3 cup of masa mixture in center of a corn husk, spreading in a square until a little thicker than 1/4 inch. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of nuts in center. Roll tamale in hands until masa mixture surrounds the nuts. Fold corn husks up at bottom.
Steam tamales until firm, about one hour.
Serve immediately.
– posted by Donna
