Mama Maggie's Kitchen

Sort the husks and remove any debris.

Place them in a large container and add warm water.

Submerge the husks under water by covering them with a heavy lid.

Set aside for 30 minutes.

For the Chile Ancho Sauce:

Place the chiles in a pot of water. Add enough water to cover them.

Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Turn heat off.

Let sit in hot water for 5 more minutes.

Reserve 1 cup of water used to cook the chiles and drain the rest.

Add softened chiles into the blender, 1 cup reserved water, garlic, cumin, and salt.

Blend until smooth.

Strain.

Reserve 3 tablespoons for the masa.

Set everything aside.

For the Ancho Beans:

Heat oil in a large pan.

Add the cooked beans and ancho chile sauce (except for 3 tablespoons).

Mash until smooth.

Taste and add salt as needed.

Cook for 10 minutes on low heat, stirring constantly.

The beans are done when the consistency is like a thick paste.

Set aside and let cool.

For the masa:

Prepare the masa.

Add the reserved 3 tablespoons of the chile ancho sauce and mix well.

Set aside until ready to use.

To Assemble the Tamales:

Drain the husks.

Add a few of the smaller husks to the bottom of the steamer or pot.

To each corn husk, add a thin layer of the masa.

To the center of the masa, add a tablespoon of the beans.

Fold one side in.

Fold the other side in.

Fold the pointy top inward.

Place inside the pot.

Repeat with each corn husk until there are none left, and the pot is full.

Add about 2 cups of water to the pot.

Cover and cook for 1 hour.

Check for water. If it needs more, add more water.

Cover again and cook for an additional 1 hour.

The tamales are ready when the masa comes away easily from the corn husks.

Enjoy!

For Masa Harina:
Beat the lard with your mixer until smooth. About 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the masa, salt, and baking powder.
Add the dry ingredients in small batches to the mixer.
Alternate with the water until completely mixed.
Beat until smooth, and scrape down each time.
Knead until you form a smooth dough.
The masa should look like wet sand.