Basic Masa for Tamales

Related recipes: Cheese, Corn, Dairy Foods, Delicious Living Magazine, Egg-Free, Grains, Low-Fat, Mexican, Side Dishes, Soya-Free, Vegetarian

Unlike conventional masa, this recipe uses yoghurt in place of lard or shortening.

Ingredients

1 cup (240mL) chicken or vegetable stock*

2/3 cup (100g) white grits, ground as finely as possible, or white cornmeal

1 cup (240mL) masa harina

1/3 cup (80g) whole milk yoghurt cheese*

1 tsp (4g) baking powder

1/2 - 1 tsp (3–6g) salt

Directions

To make yoghurt cheese, pour plain yoghurt into a sieve lined with cheese cloth. Set over a bowl and let drain for 4 hours.

When the cheese is ready, bring stock to a simmer, then pour over grits in a bowl and allow to soften for about 15 minutes.

Mix in masa harina; set aside until cool. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or with an electric hand mixer, combine half the masa mixture and yoghurt, beating for three minutes. Add remaining masa and mix another 3 minutes, to the consistency of cake batter. Add baking powder and salt to taste.

* Allergy notes: If you are allergic to soya, be sure the broth you choose is soya-free, as broths frequently contain hydrolized vegetable protein from soya. The egg protein lysozyme is an unlabeled additive in some cheeses. People allergic to eggs should eliminate any cheese in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts
Calories: 74
Fat: 1g
% fat calories: 9%
Cholesterol: 1mg
Carbohydrate: 15g
Protein: 2g