Butternut Squash Tamales

Votes: 2

Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Complexity: average
Servings: 12

Nutritional value per serving:

Calories 484, total fat 28 G., saturated fats 3 G., proteins 8 G., carbohydrates 58 G., fiber 6 G., cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 774 mg, sugar 14 G.

Mexican tamales are pieces of corn dough filled with fillings, wrapped in corn husks and steamed. Small tamales are perfect for party favors, while larger ones are a great way to impress guests at a holiday table with a striking dish and unique presentation. Make vegetarian tamales with butternut squash. This recipe incorporates pumpkin into both the corn dough and the filling, where its natural sweetness is perfectly balanced by spicy chipotle peppers, briny olives, tart capers, and zesty cilantro.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

Dough

2 cups diced butternut squash
3 cups vegetable broth
0.5 cup chopped green onions, 6 greens
1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cups masa harina flour, preferably Colombian
3/4 cup olive oil
0.5 cups vegetable oil

Filling

2 tbsp. l. olive oil
1 small bunch green onions, finely chopped, about 0.5 cup
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, thinly sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 cup chopped Spanish pimento olives
0.5 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup capers
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
0.5 cup chopped fresh cilantro
About 16 standard corn husk sheets or 22 small sheets (soak in water to soften)
Hot sauce for serving, optional

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

We recommend

Recipes with similar ingredients: butternut squash, corn husk, raisin, Orange zest, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, olive, capers, cumin

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Dough:

Place the butternut squash in a medium saucepan with the broth, green onions, adobo sauce, garlic, salt, and cumin. Bring to a boil and simmer until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove the squash with a slotted spoon, reserving the broth in the pan. Set aside half the squash for the filling, then mash the remaining squash in a large bowl. Stir in the masa harina flour with a fork. Slowly pour the broth into the filling, mixing with a fork (or your hands) until smooth. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and vegetable oil, a little at a time, until the dough is soft and moist. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Filling:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green onion, garlic, chili pepper, cumin, and salt and cook until the onion is softened, about 1 minute. Add the reserved squash, olives, raisins, and capers and cook, stirring gently to evenly distribute the ingredients, for about 1 more minute. Add the broth and orange zest and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broth is slightly absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and remove from heat.
Assembly:

Cut 2 corn husks into 24-inch-long, 0.5-inch-wide pieces. Place the remaining soaked husks on a cutting board, open side up. Spoon about 1/4 cup of dough into the center of each husk, leaving enough of the husk to cover the tamale. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling on top. Then cover the filling with another 2-3 tablespoons of dough. Wrap the open side of the husk around the filling, twist the ends, and tie with the cut strips.
Place a 25cm (10-inch) steamer basket in a saucepan. Place the tamales in the steamer, cover, and steam until the skins are slightly translucent, about 50 minutes. Remove the tamales from the steamer and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve with hot sauce.