Tamale

Tamales
Wrapped and unwrapped tamales oaxaqueños (from Oaxaca, Mexico) filled with mole negro and chicken
CourseMain course
Place of originGuatemala and Mexico
Region or stateMesoamerica
Main ingredientsCorn (maize) masa, banana leaves, Corn husks
VariationsCorunda, Guajolota, Uchepos, Zacahuil
Similar dishesHumitas, pamonha, Hallaca

A tamale, in Spanish tamal, is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaves.[1] The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, herbs, chilies, or any preparation according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned.

Tamale is an anglicized version of the Spanish word tamal (plural: tamales).[2] Tamal comes from the Nahuatl tamalli.[3]

The English "tamale" is a back-formation from tamales, with English speakers applying English pluralization rules, and thus interpreting the -e- as part of the stem, rather than part of the plural suffix -es.[4]

Tamales served to honor the birth of a child. (Florentine Codex)
  1. ^ Daniel., Hoyer (2008). Tamales (1st ed.). Salt Lake City, Utah: Gibbs Smith. ISBN 9781423603191. OCLC 199465927.
  2. ^ "tamale". English–Spanish Dictionary. WordReference.com. Archived from the original on 2020-06-21. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  3. ^ "tamal". Real Academia Española. Archived from the original on 2023-12-05. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  4. ^ "Origin and Meaning of Tamale". Online Etymology Dictionary. Archived from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2018.

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