Authentic Mexican Food Spices, Seasonings, Ingredients and Recipes

Making tamales is a Christmas tradition in the Southwest, as well as throughout Latin countries. Here is a great mango tamale recipe from Mesa Mexican Food's own recipes:

Mango Tamales

Tamale Dough

12 Dried corn husks, soaked in hot water for an hour to soften
2 cups Masa Harina
½ cup Butter, lard, or shortening softened
1/3 cup Brown sugar (granulated sugar may be substituted)
1 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Vanilla
1 ½ Cups Mango juice or Nectar (orange juice may be substituted)

Mix masa, butter (or lard or shortening), brown sugar, and baking powder in a stand mixer until fluffy. Beat in mango juice and vanilla until well blended. To test the dough, take a nickel-sized piece of dough and place it in a small cup of water. If the dough floats, it is ready.

Mango Filling

2 Large, ripe mangos, chopped into ½" cubes
1 Tbsp. Brown sugar (granulated sugar may be substituted)
1 tsp. Ceylon Cinnamon (sometimes sold as Mexican cinnamon)

To make the mango filling, combine mangos, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Set aside.

Tamale Assembly

Drain corn husks and pat dry. Lay the husk down with the smooth side up and the narrow end pointing away from you. Spread about 2-1/2 tablespoons of dough on the husk, leaving about 2 inches at the top of the husk and ¼ inches on the sides. Place about a tablespoon of the mango filling on top of the masa and fold corn husk by closing each side in, then folding the top half of cornhusk to the bottom. Steam tamales by placing a steamer basket in a large stockpot with water and stand the tamales inside the pot with the open end up. Steam for one hour, adding water as needed and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Makes about a dozen tamales.

4 oz. Tequila
1 ½ oz. Triple Sec
8 oz. Limeade
½ tray Ice Cubes
1 large Mango cut into cubes

Add mango cubes to blender and puree until smooth. (if puree is stringy, strain before adding other ingredients) Add tequila, triple sec, limeade, and ice cubes and blend until ice is crushed completely. Makes 2 servings.

1 large ripe Hass Avocado (very ripe works best)
2 green onions, sliced thin (use all of the white and most of the light green parts)
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped fine
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Slice and peel avocado, then chop into 1/2 cubes. Place the cubes in a bowl and use a fork to mash into small chunks (don't mash them up all the way yet). Add onions, cumin, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Continue mashing ingredients with a fork, making sure to mix up ingredients every 10-15 seconds or so. Taste and add more salt as needed.

You can place the guacamole in the refrigerator for an hour or so to rest, or you can grab some tortilla chips and start munching right away!