Corundas

corunda

Mexico

Steamed

Triangular Michoacán tamales folded in corn leaves, often served with tomato sauce, cream, and cheese.

About this dish

Corundas is a triangular tamal associated with Michoacán and Purépecha food traditions. Long maize-plant leaves distinguish its wrapping from the husks used for many other tamales; this version mixes cheese into the masa.

Recipe

16 triangles

8 servings

Michoacán cheese corundas

700 g prepared fresh nixtamalized corn masa
150 g softened lard
80 g plain rice flour
150 g crumbled queso fresco
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
100-160 ml warm water

20 long fresh maize-plant leaves, washed and softened

Serve

250 ml Mexican crema
250 g prepared tomato salsa

1
Use 700 g prepared fresh nixtamalized corn masa; 150 g softened lard; 80 g plain rice flour and the listed remaining ingredients. Beat lard until light. Beat in masa, rice flour, cheese, leaveners and salt, adding water gradually for a soft smooth dough. Beat lard light, distribute all dry ingredients evenly and add starting water gradually; soft dough should hold a mound.
2
Place a portion of dough near one end of a maize leaf, leaving about 7 cm clear. Fold that end diagonally over dough, then continue folding along the leaf, retaining a triangular package. Use the long maize-plant leaf, not just a cob husk. Keep dough inside each diagonal fold, retain the triangular shape and tuck the final end securely.
3
Arrange in a steamer lined with extra leaves. Steam 60-75 minutes until dough releases easily from the leaf; rest 15 minutes. Leave air channels and water below basket. Time from steady steam, top up as needed and open one for cooked masa that releases after resting.
4
Serve: 250 ml Mexican crema; 250 g prepared tomato salsa. Unwrap and serve with crema and salsa. Remove nonedible leaves carefully and divide prepared crema and salsa among servings.

Note

Corundas traditionally use long maize-plant leaves, not the dry husks from the cob. This is the cheese-and-rice-flour variation in Larousse, not a universal corunda formula.