Tamalli (Steamed Corn Dough Parcels)

Original

The Florentine Codex (Book 2, 10, 11) documents over forty named varieties of tamalli. The Anderson & Dibble translation (University of Utah Press) is the standard scholarly edition. Sophie Coe's America's First Cuisines (1994) discusses the varieties in detail.

The basic process (paraphrased from Coe): nixtamalized corn dough (masa) filled with meat, beans, chiles, or other ingredients, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed.

My Redaction

Tamale-making is a living tradition. The period method is essentially identical to traditional Mexican tamale preparation. Use masa harina, fill with spiced meat (or beans), wrap in soaked corn husks, and steam.

For hospitality service: Make 1–2 days ahead; reheat by steaming. Excellent batch item. For pre-contact authenticity, use turkey or venison filling with chile and no Old World spices. Corn husks are the wrapper, not banana leaves (which are post-contact for Mesoamerica).