Rajas con Queso Tamales (Poblano and Cheese)
Strips of roasted poblano chile and melting cheese tucked into lard-beaten masa and steamed in corn husks, the vegetarian tamal at every tamalada.
Rajas are strips of roasted, peeled poblano chile, and with cheese they make the tamal most families set aside for the people who skip meat. They are one of the four most common Candelaria tamales (La Razón:). Maggie Unzueta learned these at her grandmother's tamaladas in Durango, where every relative had a job; she was the masa spreader, and she still makes them for Christmas (In Mama Maggie's Kitchen:).
Why it works the kitchen science
Roast, steam, peel
Charring the poblanos under the broiler and then trapping them under plastic loosens the tough skin and softens the flesh, so the strips are silky and smoky inside the masa.
Cheese in strips
Long strips melt evenly down the center instead of leaking out the open end the way grated cheese can.
Step by step
- Step 1
Rinse the husks and soak them in hot water, weighted under a plate, at least 30 minutes (overnight is even better).
- Step 2
Heat the broiler. Broil the poblanos on a baking sheet 7 minutes, turn them and broil 5 minutes more, until blistered. Cover with plastic wrap and let them steam 10 minutes. Peel, stem and seed them, then cut into long strips. Cut the cheese into long strips.
- Step 3
Beat the lard about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Mix the masa harina, salt and baking powder in another bowl, then add them to the lard alternately with the hot broth until you have a smooth dough.
- Step 4
Drain the husks and shake them dry. Spread a thin layer of masa (about 3 tablespoons) on each, lay a strip or two of poblano and a strip of cheese down the middle, fold the sides in and fold the narrow end up.
- Step 5
Pour water into the steamer below the insert, pad the insert with torn husks and stand the tamales open side up. Cover and steam over medium-low to medium heat 1 1/2 to 2 hours, adding boiling water as needed.
- Step 6
Test one: done when the masa pulls away easily from the husk. If it still sticks after 2 hours, turn off the heat and leave them covered in the pot; the masa often firms as it cools. Serve warm with salsa.
Rajas con Queso Tamales (Poblano and Cheese)
Serves 5 (3 tamales each) · 15 tamales · 2 hr 45 min total
Husks
- 15 large dried corn husks, plus extras for lining the steamer
Masa
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp lard or vegetable shortening
- 2 1/2 cups masa harina
- 1 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/4 cups hot chicken broth or water (use vegetable broth for a meatless tamal)
Filling
- 3 poblano peppers (4 if small)
- 8 oz Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese
Method
- Rinse the husks and soak them in hot water, weighted under a plate, at least 30 minutes (overnight is even better).
- Heat the broiler. Broil the poblanos on a baking sheet 7 minutes, turn them and broil 5 minutes more, until blistered. Cover with plastic wrap and let them steam 10 minutes. Peel, stem and seed them, then cut into long strips. Cut the cheese into long strips.
- Beat the lard about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Mix the masa harina, salt and baking powder in another bowl, then add them to the lard alternately with the hot broth until you have a smooth dough.
- Drain the husks and shake them dry. Spread a thin layer of masa (about 3 tablespoons) on each, lay a strip or two of poblano and a strip of cheese down the middle, fold the sides in and fold the narrow end up.
- Pour water into the steamer below the insert, pad the insert with torn husks and stand the tamales open side up. Cover and steam over medium-low to medium heat 1 1/2 to 2 hours, adding boiling water as needed.
- Test one: done when the masa pulls away easily from the husk. If it still sticks after 2 hours, turn off the heat and leave them covered in the pot; the masa often firms as it cools. Serve warm with salsa.
Adapted from Maggie Unzueta, "Tamales de Rajas con Queso", In Mama Maggie's Kitchen: halved from 30 tamales to 15. Her broil times (7 minutes, then 5), 10 minute steam under plastic, 2 minute lard beat, 1 1/2 to 2 hour steam and her "let them cool in the pot" fix are hers. Serving count is ours. In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. Ingredient list follows the source; the method is in our own words.
All sources (2)
Tips
- Use broth, not water, for flavor; vegetable broth keeps the tamal meatless.
- Shortening instead of lard makes them vegetarian.
- Add a spoonful of salsa to the rajas if you like; many family versions do.
The rules people argue about
What the sources agree on, what they don't, and what is just a good story.
- Oaxaca cheese is the right cheese. Folklore: it is the usual choice, but Unzueta's recipe takes Monterey Jack just as readily.
- Rajas tamales are vegetarian. Disputed in practice: with lard and chicken broth they are not; with shortening and vegetable broth they are.
- Steam them 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Documented for this recipe (Unzueta); thinner masa layers cook faster.
Every other tamale
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