Nacatamal

Nacatamal (Nicaraguan Stuffed Masa Tamale)

The Sunday breakfast of Nicaragua: a generous parcel of masa wrapped around pork, rice, potato and tomato, steamed for hours in banana leaves until the flavors meld into something far richer than an ordinary tamale.

Prep

60 min

Cook

180 min

Total

240 min

Serves

6 nacatamales

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) fresh masa for tamales, prepared nixtamalized masa (masa preparada); not corn flour mix
• •120 g (4 oz) lard, traditionally pork lard; vegetable shortening is a workable substitute
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine salt
• •3 g (½ tsp) baking powder, aluminum-free preferred
• •350 ml (1½ cups) warm pork or chicken broth, to moisten the masa
• •400 g (14 oz) pork shoulder or belly, cut into 6 equal cubes; bone-in adds flavor
• •100 g (3½ oz) long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
• •200 g (7 oz) russet or Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 6 thick sticks
• •2 g Roma tomatoes, blanched, peeled and chopped
• •small white onion, ½, finely diced
• •1 g small bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
• •3 g (1 tbsp) achiote (annatto) paste or powder, dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water; gives the signature color
• •5 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
• •3 g (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, for seasoning the pork
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) sour orange juice (naranja agria), fresh lime juice mixed 2:1 with fresh orange juice is a fair substitute
• •1 g dried achiote, optional, for color
• •6 g dried corn husks or extra banana leaves, used to tie the parcel; banana leaves alone is traditional
• •6 g large banana leaves, softened over a flame or in hot water so they do not crack
• •1000 ml (4 cups) water, for steaming

Steps

1. 1 Marinate the pork: combine pork cubes with achiote water, cumin, black pepper, salt and sour orange juice. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, ideally overnight. The pork must reach an internal temperature of 71°C / 160°F during steaming to be safely cooked.
2. 2 Cook the seasoned pork in a small pot with just enough water to half-cover, about 25 minutes, until just tender but still holding its shape. Reserve the cooking broth.
3. 3 Prepare the sofrito: in a spoon of lard, sauté the onion, pepper and tomato until soft. Stir in the rinsed rice so it is lightly coated. Set aside.
4. 4 Beat the masa with the lard, salt and baking powder until light. Gradually add warm broth (from cooking the pork) until the masa has the consistency of thick cake batter: a small ball pressed flat should hold its shape without cracking at the edges. Cover and rest 15 minutes.
5. 5 Prepare banana leaves: pass each leaf briefly over an open flame or dip in just-boiled water until pliable. Cut into pieces roughly 35 × 40 cm / 14 × 16 in. Pat dry.
6. 6 Assemble each nacatamal: lay a banana leaf piece shiny side up. Spread about 100 g masa into an oval roughly 18 × 12 cm / 7 × 5 in, leaving a 3 cm / 1 in border.
7. 7 On the masa place 1 pork cube, 1 potato stick, a spoonful of the rice-sofrito mixture and a thin sliver of pork fat if available. Season with salt.
8. 8 Fold the long sides of the banana leaf over the filling, then tuck the short ends under to make a flat rectangular parcel. Tie firmly with strips of banana leaf or soaked corn husk; the parcel must be tight so steam stays inside.
9. 9 Set up a steamer large enough for all parcels; line the rack with extra banana leaves so steam does not drip directly onto the parcels. Place parcels seam-side down (or seam up, consistently).
10. 10 Pour water into the pot and steam over a steady medium heat. Add water as needed so the pot never boils dry; top up with boiling water to avoid cooling the steam.
11. 11 Steam for 2½ to 3 hours. A nacatamal is done when the masa pulls cleanly away from the leaf and the pork in the center reaches 71°C / 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
12. 12 Rest the parcels 10 minutes before opening: the masa will firm up as it sits. Serve hot, unopened or peeled back at the table, traditionally with queso frito, ripe plantains and coffee.
13. 13 Storage note: leftover nacatamales keep 3 days refrigerated in their leaves; reheat by re-steaming 20 minutes rather than microwaving, which toughens the masa.