2 pounds chicken breast
1 bag dried corn husks, approx. 3 dozen
2 onions
Chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 garlic, cloves peeled
1 oz. dried guajillo chiles, tops cut off and seeds removed
1 oz. dried ancho chiles, tops cut off and seeds removed
4 cups masa mix/masa flour
4 cups chicken broth, warm
1 cup fat
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon cumin ground
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
water, as needed
Directions
Combine chicken, onion, chiles and garlic cloves, cumin, tomatoes and salt in InstantPot. Cook for 30 mins.
Remove chicken and shred. Transfer sauce to a blender. In batches, puree until smooth. Add sauce to shredded chicken, mix until thoroughly coated with sauce.
Carefully soak dried cornhusks for 30 minutes in a large bowl of warm water. When ready, rinse and dry cornhusks and set them out on a baking sheet, covered by a damp towel.
In a separate bowl, combine masa mix, baking powder and 2 teaspoons salt. Pour in broth, a little at a time, until you've got a dough-like consistency.
In a small bowl, beat vegetable shortening for 3-5 minutes, or until fluffy and lightened in color. Add shortening to the masa and beat until the dough is spongy.
Remove damp towel from husks and place 1 large husk, smooth side up and horizontally, on a flat surface. Using a spoon dipped in water, spread a thin layer of masa over the husk, but leave 1/4 of the husk exposed at the top.
Add 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of meat filling to the center of the masa, but leave some extra space at the narrow end. Fold the narrow end up and over to the center. Then fold both sides in towards the center. Pinch the top closed.
Once all tamales are wrapped, place them open/pinched sides up in a colander or steamer. Place steamer in a large pot filled with 2-3 inches of water, but make sure the water does not reach the steamer.
Cover pot with a damp cloth and place lid on top of pot. Steam tamales for 2 hours, making sure water stays at a low boil and doesn't boil away.
Tamales are finished when the insides begin to pull away from the outer husks.
