Tamal de azafrán

As tradition built it

Tamal de azafrán

San Cristóbal de las Casas; no precise historical quantities survive . Makes 12

Ingredients

• 1 kg masa
• 150g lard
• 2 litres poultry broth
• 150g almond
• 100g prune
• 100g red pepper strips
• 500g saffron-spiced poultry
• 2 bunches banana leaf, for wrapping

Method

1. Beat the masa with lard and poultry broth.
2. Fill with almond, prune, red pepper strips and saffron-spiced poultry.
3. Wrap in banana leaf.

Notes

A claim that this tamal is specifically prepared for funerals, novenas or forty day masses was found only as a search summary; the source page itself could not be reached, and this chapter treats that ritual-occasion claim as unconfirmed rather than stating it as fact. No precise historical quantities survive in any source this chapter could reach, only the ingredient list and general method.

What a modern chef changes

Infused poach, fresh-ground almond, even steam

Method

1. Poach the poultry sous vide with saffron threads infused directly into the poaching liquid, for a more even distribution of both colour and flavour than a traditional simmer gives.
2. Toast and grind the almonds fresh in the spice grinder rather than using ready-ground almond meal.
3. Steam in a Big Green Egg run as a closed, humid oven, the same technique named for chuchitos above, for a full batch cooked more evenly than a crowded stovetop steamer manages.