Tamales (Pork and Chilli Tamales with Tomato Sauce)

Pork filling

• 900 g Pork shoulder, boneless
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp Guajillo chili powder
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• 900 ml Chicken stock
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper

Tomato and chilli sauce

• 600 g Tomato, ripe
• 1 tsp Guajillo chili powder
• 1 clove Garlic
• 2 tsp Apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp Fine sea salt

Masa and assembly

• 16 pieces Corn husks
• 350 g Masa harina
• 180 g Lard
• 450 ml Chicken stock, warm
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt

1. Put the corn husks in a large bowl and cover with very hot water. Weight them down so they stay submerged, then soak until pliable. Drain and keep covered with a clean tea towel so they do not dry out.
2. Cut the pork into large chunks. Roughly chop the onion and peel the garlic cloves. In a stockpot, combine the pork, onion, garlic, guajillo chili powder, cumin, chicken stock, apple cider vinegar, fine sea salt, and black pepper.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and cook partially covered until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily. Skim any excess fat from the surface as needed. Lift the pork out to a bowl, keeping the cooking liquid in the pot.
4. Shred the pork finely with two forks. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl, pressing on the onion and garlic to extract flavour, then return the liquid to the pot. Stir enough of the liquid into the shredded pork to make it moist and spoonable, not soupy.
5. Make the sauce: roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to a saucepan with the guajillo chili powder, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and fine sea salt. Simmer over medium-low heat until the tomatoes collapse and the sauce thickens slightly. Mash with a wooden spoon for a rustic, spoonable texture.
6. Make the masa: beat the lard in a mixing bowl with the fine sea salt until lighter in texture. Add the masa harina and mix until evenly combined. Pour in the warm chicken stock gradually, mixing until you have a soft, spreadable dough that holds its shape on a spoon.
7. Assemble: lay a soaked husk smooth side up, with the wider end closest to you. Spread a thin layer of masa over the centre, leaving a border at the sides and the top. Spoon a line of pork filling down the middle, then fold the sides in and fold up the narrow end to seal.
8. Stand the tamales upright in a steamer set over simmering water, keeping them fairly snug so they do not unravel. Cover and steam, topping up with hot water as needed, until the masa is set and pulls cleanly away from the husk. Rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving.
9. Serve the tamales hot with the tomato and chilli sauce spooned over or alongside. If the sauce has thickened too much, loosen it with a splash of warm chicken stock from the reserved cooking liquid. Keep any remaining tamales covered so they stay moist.

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