Nacatamales
nacatamal
Large banana-leaf tamales filled with seasoned pork, rice, potato, vegetables, and olives, often eaten on weekends or special occasions.
About this dish
Nacatamales is a Nicaraguan banana-leaf tamal tradition, often eaten on weekends or special occasions. Corn masa, meat, rice and vegetables make a substantial parcel; this home-scale version is one variation, not a universal formula.
Recipe
Nicaraguan pork nacatamales
Masa
- 350 g masa harina
- 600-750 ml broth
- 120 g lard
- 1 tsp achiote powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Filling
- 500 g pork shoulder, in 2 cm cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 60 ml sour-orange juice
- 1 tsp achiote powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 100 g uncooked white rice, soaked 1 hour and drained
- 1 potato (180 g), sliced thin
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 sweet pepper, sliced
- 6 mint sprigs
- 12 banana-leaf squares (35 cm)
- foil or food-safe twine
- 1
Filling: 500 g pork shoulder, in 2 cm cubes; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 60 ml sour-orange juice; plus the remaining ingredients listed for this component. Marinate pork with garlic, sour orange, filling achiote, salt and pepper in the refrigerator 4 hours. Keep pork refrigerated and discard unneeded marinade after portioning. Soak and drain rice separately.
- 2
Masa: 350 g masa harina; 600-750 ml broth; 120 g lard; plus the remaining ingredients listed for this component. Mix masa harina with 600 ml broth, lard, masa achiote and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring, 8-10 minutes until a soft thick paste forms; add remaining broth if needed. Cool slightly. Stir cold ingredients until smooth before heating and scrape continuously. Paste should spread but not pour; cool promptly.
- 3
Overlap two softened banana leaves for each parcel. Add masa, rice, pork and thin potato, tomato, onion and pepper slices; finish with mint. Wash and soften leaves, pat dry and make 6 parcels using two leaves each. Divide ingredients evenly and keep potato slices thin.
- 4
Fold leaves into securely closed rectangles and tie or support with foil. Steam over boiling water 3-4 hours, topping up water, until rice and potato are tender and pork is cooked through. Fold all openings securely, keep above water and time from steady steam. Top up with boiling water; open a test parcel for tender rice and potato and cooked pork, using at least 63°C/145°F plus a 3-minute rest for whole pork pieces.
- 5
Rest 15 minutes before removing wrapping and serving. Drain before resting and release steam carefully; keep waiting servings hot or refrigerate promptly.
Note
The workbook links have awkward translations and inconsistent quantities. This home-scale version uses a separately checked additional recipe to ground the cooked masa and long steaming method. Fresh mint is the good-herb component; leaves are packaging only. Broth instead of water is an adaptation; the additional source also blends vegetables into masa, which this version omits.