Tamales (Vegan or Turkey)

Ingredients:

1 package dried corn husks

MASA DOUGH:

6 cups masa harina

2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp baking powder

6 cups vegetable stock / or 6 cups organic chicken stock

3/4 cup olive oil

FILLING:

1 cup vegeburger crumbles (rehydrate with hot water if needed) / or 1 cup Turkey burger

1/4 tsp Shillings Grill Mates Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning (add to burger)

1 cup corn

1 grated bell pepper

1 onion, chopped finely

3/4 cup cornmeal

3 beaten eggs

1 can black olives

SAUCE:

1/2 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cup flour, lightly browned in a sauce pan

3 cans tomato sauce

3/4 cup chili powder

1/2 pkg dried chilies (boil in 2 quarts of water for 1/2 hour)

1 tsp onion salt

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp garlic salt

2 tsp cumin

Yield: 8-10 servings

Directions:

1. Soak corn husks by finding a large stockpot or pan big enough to fit them. Fill the pan with hot water and a lid. The corn husks will float, so add something to weigh them down so that they are all fully submerged. Let them soak for about 30 minutes or until softened.

2. Add all the masa dough ingredients to a bowl. Mix up your masa dough with an electric mixer. Cover with a damp cloth and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Prepare your filling and sauce. Toss them together in bowl until combined.

4. Set up your counter like an assembly line in preparation to assemble the tamales. 1st Corn Husks, 2nd Masa, 3rd Filling/Sauce. Then assemble the tamales, as follows:

• Lay the soaked corn husk on a flat surface (a plate or cutting board)
• Spread your masa on the corn husk. About 1/4 (or slightly more) will do. You can use a large cookie scoop to measure out the masa. Use a spoon or your fingers to spread the masa out into a rectangular area on the corn husks that is large enough to enclose your filling. (Tip: Keep a little bowl of water nearby during this process to dip your fingers in regularly.)
• Add your filling/sauce to the center of the masa. Tamales use sparingly little filling - just a Tablespoon or two will do. Add 1-2 olives 
• Fold the corn husk in half vertically. Then very carefully, fold the corn husk in half so the masa wraps completely around the filling, maybe using your fingers to pinch it together just a little bit.
• Wrap the corn husk into a little burrito. Continue folding the corn husk completely over to one side so that it is in a burrito/cylinder shape.
• Fold the top (skinny) end down to enclose one end of the tamale. One end of the tamale will be exposed.
• Tie the tamale together by shredding a few corn husks into long skinny strips and using these strips to tie the tamales as shown in figure 6 above.
• STEAM - add 1 cup of water to the bottom of your Pressure Cooker, or Rice Cooker, insert a strainer basket, add the tamales, place on the lid and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes until the masa separates easily from the husk.