Of all the moles in Oaxaca, mole negro is by far the most well-known by both Mexican food aficionados and travelers to the state. But unless one is a true foodie with a particular affection for Mexican cuisine, it may come as somewhat of a surprise to learn that Oaxacans incorporate mole negro and virtually every other type of mole into tamales. When visiting Oaxaca, just attend the Wednesday market at Etla, or in downtown Oaxaca walk over to the Mercado de La Merced. In both cases one finds eight or more varieties of tamale, including tamales of mole verde, mole amarillo, and yes, mole negro.
Sourcing Ingredients for Making Tamales with Mole Negro
The recipe to follow, reproduced with permission of Chef Pilar Cabrera Arroyo, owner of popular Oaxaca restaurant La Olla, and Casa de los Sabores Cooking School, contains ingredients which can be sourced in most American and Canadian cities by attending a Mexican or Latin American food store.
Note that the recipe does not include the recipe for making mole negro, but rather lists it as one of the ingredients. Mole negro is acknowledged to be the most labor intensive moles to prepare. Accordingly, best to start with mole negro paste and follow the instructions. Alternatively, buy it bottled and ready to go.
Mole negro paste freezes perhaps the best of all moles. Therefore, it’s advisable to buy a couple of kilos of it while vacationing in Oaxaca (sold at some markets, including at the south end of the 20th of November market in downtown Oaxaca, or it can be purchased directly from Chef Pilar). Upon arriving home, freeze it in one-pound packages, in plastic.
The other two ingredients of note are masa and banana leaves. One again, Latin American food stores should carry both. Masa is available in dry form under the brand name Maseca, in international food aisles in many mainstream supermarkets. In fact, one can sometimes encounter Maseca for specifically making tamales. In larger cities masa can be purchased at tortillerias, ready-to-go in dough form. If banana leaves are unavailable, substitute corn husk, purchased dry and then softened in water for a while.
Mole Negro Tamale Recipe of Oaxacan Chef Pilar Cabrera, Serves 10 – 12 People
Ingredients:
- 1 large chicken breast
- 1 small onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 t. salt
- 1 C. lard or vegetable shortening
- 3 C. corn masa
- 2 t. salt
- 1/2 C. chicken broth
- 2 C. black mole (mole negro) sauce
- 15 banana leaves, cut into 12" x 7" rectangles
Preparation:
- In a large pot, cook the chicken in water, with the onion, garlic, and 2 Tsp salt for 35 minutes on medium heat. Strain, cool and shred the chicken from the bone.
- Beat the lard until it is foamy and white (about 5 minutes). If using shortening, beating is not necessary. Add the masa, chicken broth and remaining salt to the lard, or shortening. Beat the ingredients together until well blended (about 5 minutes).
- Pass the banana leaves over the top of the stove flame, on both sides, for about 30 seconds to soften. If using an electric stove, boil a pat of water and submerge the leaves for about 5 minutes. Take about 2 t. of tamale mixture and drop in the center of the prepare banana leaf. Lay a piece of waxed paper over the tamale mixture and spread to make a thin layer over the banana leaf, within an inch of the leaf`s edge. Once the tamale mixture is spread, peel off the waxed paper, and put about 1 T. of chicken and 2 T. of mole in the center. (Adjust quantities according to leaf size and desired size).
- Close each tamale by folding both ends of the leaf together (longer sides first) forming a rectangle. Close and tie the folded tamale with a strand taken from the same leaf.
- Cook the tamales in a tamalera, or steamer (large double boiler), leaving ½” space between each one to allow for even cooking. DO NOT PLACE DIRECTLY IN WATER. Steam for 1 hour. Check occasionally to make sure that about 2” of water always remains. After 1 hour, remove 1 tamale and let cool for 10 minutes; continue cooking other tamales. After the 1 tamale has cooled, try to remove tamale from leaf; if the tamale mixture easily peels from the leaf, all tamales can be removed from tamalera. If not, continue steaming them for another 10 minutes. Remove from tamalera and serve hot.
Enjoy!
Alvin Starkman - Alvin Starkman runs Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast. He is a paid contributing writer for Mexico Today (http://www.mexicotoday.org).
