Tamales!

The Popol Vuh explains how the first Mayans were moulded by god from maize dough. Today tamales are eaten both as an everyday staple and at religious festivals where they represent the human body: the corn husk used to wrap it represents the skin, the corn meal dough the flesh and the filling in the centre the organs.

Co-incidentally the creation myth of the Wh-uul people of St Helens tells of how their God (Allan, praise be to his name) moulded them in the image of the pasty rather than the pie. As such in their religious ceremonies a translucent Greggs bag represents damp sportswear, flaky pastry the flesh and a filling of mince and gravy the soul.

Anyway, another way in which the tamale closely resembles a lot of bodies in both Mexico and St Helens (including my own) is that it's about 25% LBV (lard by volume). To make 'em, start of with a bag of lard.

Pop it in a food processor.

Whip it real good:

Now add the other ingredients: a little baking powder, some chicken stock and your corn dough. Personally I always like to make the dough myself by boiling whole corn cobs for several hours with a little limestone before running the whole through an industrial grinder. I suppose you could use store bought dough, if you thought that was appropriate.

You should now have a big pot of goopy corn paste. Spread a little on a pre-warmed banana leaf or inside a corn husk. Not too much now!

Pop in a little filling. I've used chicken and mole here but let your imagiantion run riot. Iguana? Fig and clam? Steak and kidney? Asprin and chocolate? They're your tamales: you make the decision. I can't do everything for you. Seriously.

Wrap them up neatly. NEATLY. And steam.

Unwrap them:

And enjoy:

Delicious.