World Flavors Cookbook

Belize Tamales

Belizean Christmas tamales wrapped in banana leaves — corn masa filled with chicken or pork in recado negro, a Belizean Creole tradition.

Cuisine: Belize

Ingredients

• For masa: 1kg masa harina, 500ml chicken broth, 100ml lard, salt
• For filling: 500g chicken or pork in recado negro sauce
• Banana leaves, wilted over flame
• Olives and capers for filling

Instructions

1. Make recado negro filling with chicken or pork.
2. Beat lard until fluffy. Add masa harina and broth alternately to make spreadable masa.
3. Soften banana leaves over flame.
4. Spread masa on leaf. Add meat filling, an olive, and a caper.
5. Fold banana leaf into rectangular packet. Tie with string.
6. Steam standing up 1.5 hours.