Three Hot Tamales

Tamales. They’re sold by the steamer-full on street corners and plazas, prepared by the hundreds for parties, eaten out of hand as a morning or evening snack, and universally loved. And when it comes to rolling your own, making tamales is easier than you think. Rick pays a visit to a streetside tamal vendor, then heads to a tortilla factory to buy fresh masa. Back in the kitchen, he prepares two traditional types of tamales–Green Chile ChickenTamales Wrapped in Corn Husks and Red Chile Pork Tamales Wrapped in Banana Leaves–revealing the secrets of working with masa, filling, wrapping and steaming. The result: a batch of truly hot tamales–beautiful steaming packets that are fun to open and eat–the perfect party food. In Mexico, a tamalada–the tamal-making party-before-the-party can be as much fun as the party itself. Rick joins his friend Carmen Ramirez Delgollado in the kitchen of her Mexico City restaurant, El Bajio, for a “wrap party” and a lesson in making sweet tamales.