Black bean-sweet potato tamales

April 18, 2010 | 5 Comments »

Ever since I heard about Viva Vegan I’ve been counting down the days until its release. On Friday, after a LONG day of shopping and running errands, we came home and settled down. I logged into Twitter and the first thing I saw was that Barnes & Noble had Viva Vegan and was releasing it early. After I pouted and told Juan he asked me to get ready and out the door we went. I was a happy gal once the book was in my hands.

Every recipe sounds great. I couldn’t decide which one to make first. So yesterday I opened the book and landed on tamales. Yes, that’s how I picked my first recipe. There are so many mouth watering recipes to choose from. I had to narrow it down somehow. I decided on the Black Bean-Sweet Potato Tamales because I love me some sweet potato. Then I got to it. Keep in mind I have never made a tamale in my life. I’ve watched Mil do it a few times, but I was never allowed to help her. Something about cold hands touching her pot and cursing her tamales to hell. She’s an odd woman.

The entire process was rather easy. Time consuming, but easy. However, wrapping those suckers caused me to have a melt-down. Juan had to come inside (he was outside grilling) and show me how to do it properly. He’s Mexican. It’s in his blood. :) After a few tries I found my stride and finished them up. I popped them in the steamer and waited. It felt like forever. All I could think about was sinking my teeth into one of those delicious tamales.

Once they were finished I brought some over for Mil and Bil. They were both unimpressed. I know. How dare they ‘meh’ at my vegan tamales? I think they were the best friggin tamales I’ve ever eaten. Juan tried them and LOVED them. At first I thought it was the beer talking. But this afternoon he ate two of them and finished it all. Even Ethan ate some. I told Juan that I was surprised Ethan ate some because he doesn’t even eat Mil’s when she makes them. Ethan overheard me and said “That’s cause I like yours, mommy. You have the best recipe.” That my friends, is how I know Mil and Bil were hatin. My vegan tamales were all kinds of bad ass. Thanks to the super awesome Terry Hope Romero.

I remember the first time I tried a tamale. Mil made some shortly after I moved in with Juan. At first I thought they were horrible. I remember thinking Juan must really hate me to be placing such a thing on my dish. The next day I asked what was for breakfast and I was served yet another tamale. Oh joy! But this time it tasted different. It was better. I liked tamales! After I went vegan I thought I’d never get to enjoy one again. Mil claimed she could veganize them, but said she couldn’t fill it with anything. I found that hard to believe. I threw a few suggestions at her. Beans, finely diced veggies, faux meats, etc. She claimed it was impossible to stuff a tamale with beans. I’m not sure, but I think I may have proved her wrong?

Anyway, whenever she made tamales she took it upon herself to make me and Bil our own vegan version. What we ended up with was steamed masa. I only wish I was kidding. Steamed masa. She would place these on our dish and stand by and watch us eat. It wasn’t easy smiling and giving the thumbs up while chewing on a wad of masa. Somehow I managed. Now I’m not saying she should have bowed before me and MY vegan version of tamales, but would it have killed her to at least admit they weren’t that bad? I seriously felt like I was setting my specialty dish before Gordon Ramsay. She took her fork, moved it around, muttered something about it being too doughy and not done and then was all ‘Meh.’ Pfft! Take a closer look at that tamale. It’s clearly NOT doughy. And you’ll just have to take my word for it, it was damn good.