HELLO, I'M JULIA CHILD.

WELCOME TO MY HOUSE AND TO MY KITCHEN AND TO ANOTHER CULINARY ADVENTURE WITH ONE OF AMERICA'S MASTER CHEFS.

FROM "ZARELA'S" IN THE BIG APPLE IS ZARELA MARTINEZ WHO IS HERE TO TEACH US HOW TO MAKE SOME OF HER FAMOUS MEXICAN DISHES.

ZARELA'S GOING TO SHOW US SOME REAL MEXICAN COOKING TODAY.

SOME REALLY AUTHENTIC STUFF.

AND WHAT ARE YOU GONNA START WITH?

WELL, WE'RE STARTING WITH A MOLE VERDE AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A MOLE VERDE.

WHAT DOES "MOLE" MEAN?

IT'S A GROUND SAUCE.

GROUND SAUCE.

USUALLY IT CONTAINS CHILE OF SOME KIND.

THIS ONE HAPPENS TO BE MADE WITH TOMATILLOS.

IT COMES FROM THE STATE OF OAXACA.

TOMATILLOS ARE RELATED TO THE CAPE GOOSEBERRY.

BUT THEY'RE NOT TOMATOES AT ALL.

NO.

AND EVEN THOUGH THE WORD TOMATILLO MEANS 'LITTLE TOMATO' AND THEY COME IN THIS HUSK, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE CAPE GOOSEBERRY.

NOW, IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME.

BUT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS ABOUT USING TOMATILLOS WHICH BY THE WAY, ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE.

RIGHT AROUND HERE, TOO...

YES.

...ANYWHERE.

AND THEY ARE ONE OF THOSE FLAVORS THAT EVERYBODY LIKES BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE SWEET AND A LITTLE TART.

AND IT MIXES VERY WELL WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT FLAVORS.

AND IT HAS A KIND OF THICKENING QUALITY WHEN YOU PUT IT IN THE SAUCE.

IT GELS, IT GELS.

IT GELS.

THAT'S IT, YEAH.

SO, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY DO HAVE A TYPE... THAT QUALITY MAKES THEM KIND OF STICKY.

SO THE WAY TO ELIMINATE THAT WHAT I DO IS I SOAK THEM IN WATER FOR LIKE AN HOUR.

JUST COLD WATER?

YEAH, JUST COLD WATER.

THEN YOU CAN PEEL THEM.

AND ANOTHER ONE OF THE TECHNIQUES IN MEXICAN FOOD...

IF WE COULD JUST PUT THAT UP A LITTLE HIGHER ...IS YOU WANT A NICE, HOT GRIDDLE.

SO WE'LL JUST ROAST THEM FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES.

AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO KEEP ON TURNING THEM 'CAUSE WE WANT THEM TO BE SOFT.

THEY WILL COOK BETTER.

THESE HAVE ALL BEEN SOAKED LIKE THAT.

YES, THEY'VE BEEN SOAKED AND THEN PEELED.

SO THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE GONNA ROAST IS A POBLANO CHILE.

IS THIS A HOT CHILE?

IT CAN BE.

IT CAN BE.

SO YOU WOULD ROAST IT ON THE GRILL AS WELL AND THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, TAKE ABOUT EIGHT MINUTES.

AND YOU KEEP ON TURNING IT.

IF YOU'RE IN A HURRY YOU CAN DO IT RIGHT OVER A FLAME.

AH, JUST...YES.

BUT WE DON'T RECOMMEND THAT BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY'S GOOD AT IT.

IN THE MEANTIME, LET ME EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT...

I'LL KEEP TURNING THEM WHILE YOU EXPLAIN.

YES.

WELL, WE USE PARSLEY WHICH WE KNOW THAT THE SPANIARDS BROUGHT IT.

I DON'T THINK IT WAS ENDEMIC TO MEXICO.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE USING A EPAZOTE.

IT'S KNOWN IN THE U.S. AS "STINKWEED" AND IT'S AVAILABLE EVEN IN CENTRAL PARK, FRESH SO YOU COULD ACTUALLY FIND IT IN STORES.

BUT NOW... LET ME SMELL THAT.

DOES IT HAVE A STRONG SMELL?

YEAH, IT DOES.

IT DEFINITELY DOES.

AND THE..

I'VE HEARD THAT IF YOU PUT IT INTO DRIED BEANS THEY HAVE A LESS GASSY EFFECT... IS THAT SO?

YEAH, THEY DO.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DO?

YOU HAVE ALL OF THIS LEFTOVER STICKS WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO SAVE -- YOU'RE NOT GOING TO THROW THEM AWAY.

WHENEVER YOU HAVE AN UPSET STOMACH YOU MAKE A NICE TEA OUT OF THIS AND YOU GET YOURSELF CURED.

OR, IF YOU RUN OUT OF THE EPAZOTE AND YOU'RE GONNA BE NEEDING IT -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE LEAVES THEIRSELVES... YOU KNOW, BY THEMSELVES -- YOU CAN USE A TEA MADE WITH THE LEAVES.

SO WE WILL TAKE OUT THE STICKS AND WE'RE GOING TO SAVE THEM.

THAT'S ALL GONNA GO INTO THE MOLE?

WELL, NOT THE STICKS THIS TIME.

WE'RE GONNA SAVE THAT FOR... FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

...FOR OUR PHARMACIA AND THEN WE'RE GONNA JUST USE THE EPAZOTE.

NOW YOU CAN REALLY SMELL IT.

YES, IT IS KIND OF SMELLY ISN'T IT?

NOW IF YOU WERE LIVING SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU COULDN'T FIND EPAZOTE BECAUSE YOU MIGHT NOT RECOGNIZE IT WILD.

YEAH.

THEN YOU WOULD USE CILANTRO.

AND THEN WE ALSO ARE GONNA USE HOJA SANTA.

SMELL THIS WONDERFUL THING.

WELL, WHAT IS THAT?

IT'S "HOLY LEAF".

YOU KNOW, THEY SAY THAT IT GOT THIS NAME BECAUSE...

IT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH SMELL, I DON'T THINK.

MAYBE AFTER THE EPAZOTE IT DOESN'T, BUT IT DOES.

IT SMELLS VERY MUCH LIKE ANISE.

AND IT'S VERY, IT LENDS A VERY SUBTLE...

VERY SUBTLE TASTE.

THIS IS HARDER TO FIND FRESH.

OH.

BUT IF YOU CAN'T FIND IT, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO IS YOU MAKE ANOTHER INFUSION AND THIS ONE YOU DO MAKE WITH STAR ANISE OR WITH REGULAR ANISE SEEDS.

I LOVE THAT, THAT STAR ANISE.

THAT'S, THAT HAS A LOVELY...

I LOVE THAT KIND OF...

DOESN'T IT?

YES, IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE IT.

KIND OF A LICORICE, BUT NOT.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE USE WITH THIS MOLE IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S INTERESTING.

THIS IS MASA HARINA, IT'S A CORN FLOUR.

AH.

WHICH IS, THAT IS VERY, VERY WIDELY AVAILABLE.

IN THE MEANTIME, I'M GONNA MAKE A LITTLE... A LITTLE PASTE WITH, OH, ABOUT A TABLESPOON.

SO WE'RE GONNA MIX THIS TOGETHER AND HAVE IT READY FOR THE BLENDER.

THESE ARE READY NOW.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

SO YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE SUGAR THAT HAS CARAMELIZED AND THAT'S WHY...

PUT THEM ALL IN THERE?

...THAT'S WHY I LOVE TO ROAST THINGS BECAUSE IT BRINGS OUT THE NATURAL SUGARS IN THINGS LIKE TOMATOES AND TOMATILLOS.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE THE TOMATILLOS IN HERE AND THEN WE HAVE THE CHILE.

IT'S BEST OF COURSE TO... TO LET THE CHILE REST A LITTLE WHILE AND YOU COULD DO IT IN A PLASTIC BAG OR IN A, OR IN A CLOTH.

JUST SO THAT IT SWEATS A LITTLE.

IN THE MEANTIME, I'LL PUT THE OTHER INGREDIENTS IN.

WE'RE GONNA PUT IN THE TOMATILLOS -- THEN THREE GARLIC CLOVES.

THREE PEELED GARLIC CLOVES?

YES.

ONE COARSELY CHOPPED ONION.

SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE PARSLEY -- WHICH IS ITALIAN PARSLEY.

AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE HOJA SANTA -- THIS IS THE MASA HARINA.

WE'RE GONNA TAKE ABOUT THREE TABLESPOONS OF THE EPAZOTE.

IF YOU HAD FRESH YOU WOULD TAKE A BUNCH AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TAKE OFF THE LEAVES.

AND... TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF SALT.

ABOUT THAT MUCH, I GUESS ABOUT A TEASPOON.

AND 1/2 CUP OF WATER.

SO THEN YOU WOULD REMOVE IT CAREFULLY -- AND YOU COULD DO THIS BY HAND.

I GUESS IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO DO IT BY HAND, LIKE THIS.

ARE THE SEEDS HOTTER THAN THE FLESH?

YEAH, THEY DEFINITELY ARE.

YOU WANT IT LESS HOT, YOU TAKE OUT THIS VEINS.

WHICH VEIN?

THIS VEIN RIGHT HERE.

OH, RIGHT THERE.

SORT OF THE RIB.

UH-HUH, THE RIB.

OH, THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL IT.

...BOTH RIBS, YEAH.

YOU CALL IT "RIB", AND WE CALL IT "VEINS".

I SUPPOSE YOU COULD WEAR PLASTIC GLOVES COULDN'T YOU?

WELL, I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

I'M SO USED TO HANDLING THEM THAT IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

GET USED TO IT.

YEAH, YOU DO GET USED TO IT.

DON'T BE A SISSY.

YEAH.

YES.

AND WE'LL JUST CHOP IT A LITTLE BIT -- DOESN'T HAVE TO BE VERY WELL CHOPPED.

ADD IT TO THE BLENDER.

OKAY, SO THE CHILES SHOULD NOW BE NICELY, YOU KNOW, PUREED.

WE WANT TO GET EVERY LITTLE DROP OF THIS.

AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME OF THIS NICE, HOME-RENDERED LARD I'M A BIG CHAMPION OF IT... YOU DO THAT OVER THERE.

AND WE'RE GONNA TALK A LOT ABOUT THAT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT A LITTLE BIT IN THE PAN.

LET'S TURN THIS ON.

THIS IS DONE WITH BACK FAT.

JUST A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW, ABOUT A TABLESPOON OR TWO.

JUST FOR THE FLAVOR.

WE'RE GONNA LET IT GET NICE AND HOT.

IN THE MEANTIME, MAYBE I'LL PUT A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR BECAUSE TOMATILLOS TEND TO HAVE A TART EDGE.

SO, YOU KNOW -- YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR TO ROUND OUT THE FLAVOR.

OOPS... BE CAREFUL IT DOESN'T SPLATTER ALL OVER YOU.

WE'LL STIR IT A LITTLE BIT.

AND YOU'RE JUST GONNA LET IT COOK.

NOW, WE'RE GONNA MAKE REAL MEXICAN TAMALES.

YES...

THE REAL THING.

AND IT'S GREAT BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE FOODS AND ONE THAT BRINGS BACK A LOT OF CHILDHOOD MEMORIES BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP ON A CATTLE RANCH AND... ALL THE WOMEN WOULD COME FROM ALL OVER THE RANCH AND WE WOULD ALL SIT AND MAKE TAMALES, AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.

AND, BUT WE'RE GONNA START WITH, WITH... WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY MAKE THEM WITH FRESH MASA.

FRESH MASA IS MADE BY SOAKING CORN, DRIED CORN WITH A LIME MIXTURE AND THEN COOKING IT FOR MAYBE AN HOUR AND A HALF AND THEN, THEN RINSING IT, AND THEN COOKING IT SOME MORE.

AND ANYBODY THAT LIVES IN A BIG CITY LIKE CHICAGO, L.A. OR IN THE SOUTHWEST -- YOU COULD JUST GO TO A TORTILLERIA AND PICK IT UP FRESH AND THEN JUST PUT IT IN YOUR FREEZER.

IT FREEZES WELL, AND STAYS WELL FOR A WHILE.

FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN A BIG CITY YOU CAN GET MASA HARINA WHICH IS A CORN FLOUR -- NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH CORNMEAL AND CORNMEAL DOES NOT WORK.

CORNMEAL IS NOT TREATED WITH THE LIME.

AND THERE'S TWO: YOU KNOW, QUAKER OATS HAS IT.

AND THAT IS REALLY GENERALLY AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE U.S. OR YOU KNOW, THIS OTHER ONE WHICH IS MASECA.

AND WE'RE GONNA MIX IT UP WITH CHICKEN STOCK BECAUSE THAT WAY IT WILL HAVE AN EXTRA DIMENSION OF FLAVOR.

THIS IS 2 CUPS OF CHICKEN STOCK.

AND THEN, 2 CUPS OF THE MASA HARINA.

TWO, TWO, AND TWO.

YEAH.

YOU WANT IT TO BE SLIGHTLY STIFF.

WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING THIS IN THE BLENDER AND THEN I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE SUBJECTS WHICH IS LARD.

"LARD" I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE THE "BUTTER QUEEN"?

WELL, I LOVE LARD, TOO.

I WROTE THIS BIG ARTICLE FOR THE L.A. TIMES RECENTLY AND I CALLED IT "PRAISE THE LARD".

"PRAISE THE LARD".

BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD FATS -- ACTUALLY IT'S TWO-THIRDS UNSATURATED.

BECAUSE IT HAS OLEIC ACID - THE SAME THING THAT OLIVE OIL HAS AND IT BREAKS DOWN CHOLESTEROL.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT APPLIES TO HOME-RENDERED LARD.

BECAUSE ONCE YOU GO BUY THE COMMERCIAL ONE WHICH IS RIGHT HERE... YEAH.

...THAT'S HYDROGENATED.

SO IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HYDROGENATE SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO ADD, YOU KNOW, MORE HYDROGEN ATOMS AND THEN BECOMES MORE SATURATED.

YOU KNOW, IT GETS SATURATED SO THEN IT DOESN'T HAVE QUITE AS MUCH...

I THINK THEY FOUND MARGARINE WAS SAME THING, DIDN'T THEY?

YEAH, THAT'S WHY THEY SAY... THAT YOU'RE BETTER OFF HAVING BUTTER YEAH, DEFINITELY.

OR LARD?

IN MAKING TAMALES, THE IMPORTANT THING IS THE PROPORTION.

IT MIGHT SEEM TO YOU, OR TO, YOU KNOW, THE VIEWERS THAT ONE POUND OF LARD TO THREE POUNDS OF MASA IS A LOT BUT ONCE YOU STEAM THE TAMALES -- ALL, MOST OF THE LARD IS GOING TO STEAM OUT.

AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LEFT... ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT MAKES THIS SO GOOD IS THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, LARD HAS VERY LARGE CRYSTALS.

SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU BEAT IT AND BEAT IT, AND AERATE IT THE DOUGH WILL BE EXTRA FLUFFY AND MOST OF, MOST OF THE LARD WILL HAVE STEAMED OUT ANYWAY.

AND THEN WE'LL JUST START MIXING.

SO WE'RE GONNA ADD THE SALT.

NOT ONLY IS THE AMOUNT OF LARD, GOING TO SEEM EXCESSIVE -- BUT THE AMOUNT OF SALT, BUT THAT TO WILL STEAM OUT.

SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, I PUT IN ABOUT TWO TABLESPOONS OF IT BECAUSE IT MOSTLY STEAMS OUT.

AND THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN AN UNSALTED TAMALE.

OH, CERTAINLY TERRIBLE.

SO THEN WELL JUST LET THIS BEAT SOME MORE.

IT HAS TO BEAT A LONG TIME.

SO THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT DONE.

YOU HAVE TO BEAT IT UNTIL IT FLOATS.

MEANING WHAT?

YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF THE DOUGH AND WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THE CHICKEN STOCK HERE... ...WHATEVER LEFT OVER.

OH, I SEE.

AND IT'S FLOATING VERY NICELY.

THATS FLOATING, YES.

WHAT WE'RE GONNA TEACH YOU TWO WAYS OF USING THIS DOUGH.

GOOD.

WELL, THE FIRST ONE IS, WE GONNA TAKE THE MOLE VERDE THAT WE MADE AND WE'RE GOING TO MIX IT IN.

SEE, MOLE VERDE BY ITSELF IS NOT VERY GOOD BUT ONCE YOU MIX, I MEAN IT'S GOOD -- BUT IT'S NOT... YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS SOMETHING ELSE TO COMPLETE IT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MIX IN THIS DOUGH.

THAT WAS ABOUT, NOT A GREAT DEAL.

NO, ABOUT A CUP.

WE'RE GONNA SEE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT THE DOUGH TO GET TOO YOU KNOW, TOO LOOSE EITHER, TOO RUNNY.

SO WE'LL JUST FOLD IT IN.

PROBABLY IT COULD TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

YOU HAVE TO DO IT BY TASTE... TO YOUR OWN TASTE.

AND WE FOLD IT, MAYBE I'LL PUT JUST A... YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE OR TWO MORE SPOONFULS.

NOW, I LOVE, I LOVE THAT SAUCE.

I JUST...

...ISN'T IT AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT...

IT'S NOT TOO SPICY AT ALL.

IT'S JUST BARELY SPICY REALLY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME WILL OF COURSE SAY, "I WANT IT SPICY" OH, THEY'RE THE, THE MACHO TYPES.

THE MACHO TYPES, EXACTLY.

AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO, I HAVE MADE THIS MIXTURE.

IT'S A VERY BASIC MEXICAN WAY OF DOING MIXTURES WITH VEGETABLES.

YEAH, WHAT IS THIS?

YOU TAKE ONION AND GARLIC, YOU SAUTE IT, YOU ADD CHILE.

THEN THIS IS FRESH CORN WHICH WE TOOK OFF THE COB.

BUT YOU COULD USE ANOTHER KIND OF VEGETABLE IF...

IF YOU DON'T HAVE CORN... GREEN PEPPERS OR... OR YOU COULD USE ZUCCHINI OR SOMETHING.

YES.

I PUT A LITTLE BIT OF CILANTRO IN IT AND POBLANO CHILES BUT YOU COULD USE TEXAS LONG GRAIN.

AND IT'S NOT STRONG EITHER?

NO.

I DON'T LIKE MY FOOD TO BE STRONG -- I LIKE IT TO BE, TO TEASE YOU AND, AND GIVE YOU A NICE AFTER-TASTE.

OKAY, SO NOW, THE OTHER THING YOU COULD PUT IN IS SOMETHING LIKE CHEESE FOR INSTANCE.

SO AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES HERE, HUH.

AND THIS IS A QUESO FRESCO.

QUESO, THAT'S FRESH CHEESE?

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS?

YES.

I THINK IT'S LIKE DRIED FETA CHEESE WOULD BE... ...WOULD BE LIKE IT.

YE AH, IT'S SORT OF LIKE IT.

SO, NOW WE MI X THAT IN.

AND THIS IS, IN MAKING TAMALES THE IMPORTANT THING IS ORGANIZATION.

OKAY.

SO, NOW THESE AR E CORN HUSKS WHICH YOU CAN FIND AT MOST LATIN AMERICAN MARKETS BUT YOU CAN ALSO FIND AT CRAFT STORES.

BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ASK FOR IS THE ONES THAT AR E UNTREATED BECAUSE SOME OF THE ONES IN THE CRAFT STORES AR E TREATED.

SO, WHAT YOU DO IS THAT WE SOAK THESE -- LIKE HALF AN HOUR IN HOT WATER.

YOU TAKE THEM OUT AND THEN YOU DRY THEM, YO U KNOW, A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO WORK WITH SEVERAL HUSKS AT A TIME SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO PICK UP THE BOWL EVERY SINGLE TIME.

SO, IT'S ALL A MATTER OF...

SORT OF LIKE AN ASSEMBLY LINE.

THESE TAMALES ARE VERY EASY TO DO BECAUSE ALL YO U'RE GONNA DO IS YOU'RE GONNA TAKE A SPOONFUL OF THIS PUT IT IN THE MIDDLE LI KE THAT -- FOLD OVER, AN D OVER LIKE THIS.

OH, WELL, THAT'S EASY.

YEAH, IT'S VE RY EASY.

I WANT TO SHOW THEM HO W TO DO ONE MORE THING BECAUSE TAMALES DO NOT HAVE TO BE MADE IN CORN HUSKS.

THESE ARE BANANA LEAVES.

AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE AT THAI RESTAURANTS -- OR CHINA, THAI FOOD STORES.

BUT I WANT THEM TO USE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE SO DELICIOUS.

IT HAS SUCH A WONDERFUL AROMATIC FLAVOR ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE DOING LI KE A SWEET KIND OF TAMAL.

OH, DOES IT HAVE SORT OF A SLIGHTLY BANANA FLAVOR?

NO.

IT HAS, IT HAS A DIFFERENT FLAVOR.

HAS IT'S OWN, OWN FLAVOR.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WOULD DO...

IN THIS CASE HERE, YOU WOULD PU T A MUCH BIGGER AMOUNT BECAUSE THESE TAMALES ARE USUALLY BIGGER AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS LEAF IS A LITTLE BIT BIG.

YOU FOLD IT LIKE THIS, YOU FOLD IT LIKE THAT.

FOLD IT LIKE THIS, AN D YOU FOLD IT LIKE THAT.

YOU COULD ALSO TIE IT IF YOU WANTED WITH THIS LITTLE PIECE HANGING OVER HERE.

THEN IT LOOK'S VERY PRETTY WHEN YOU TAKE IT TO THE TABLE.

OH, THAT'S VERY CUTE.

AND THAT WAY THEY DON'T OPEN UP BECAUSE THESE LEAVES ARE HARDER TO DO.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE, SO NOW WE HAVE THESE.

AND WE'RE GONNA STEAM THEM.

GOOD.

SO NOW I'M GONNA TO TEACH YOU ANOTHER WAY OF DOING TAMALES BECAUSE THOSE ARE EASY, YOU JUST PUT THE... YEAH.

...YOU JUST PUT THE FI LLING IN THE MIDDLE.

BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IF YOU WERE WRITING ABOUT IT IT WOULD TAKE YOU TW O PAGES TO EXPLAIN.

I'M SURE.

BUT IT IS SO EASY TO DO IT.

YOU KNOW, THE HUSK HAS A ROUGH SIDE AND THEN IT HAS TH IS SMOOTH SIDE.

SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO DO IT ON THE ROUGH SIDE BECAUSE THEN TH E DOUGH SEPARATES INTO THIS NICE, LI TTLE PIECES -- BUT IT'S HARDER TO FOLD.

SO IN THIS CASE -- WE'RE GOING TO USE A CLEAN SPATULA AND HERE WE HAVE TH E PLAIN DOUGH -- BUT YOU COULD TAKE SOME AND WE'RE GONNA US E THIS PORK AND RED CHILE SAUCE.

WHICH YOU COULD TAKE SOME OF THE RED CH ILE SAUCE PUT IT INSIDE THE DOUGH -- AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DO.

SO THAT IT'S ALL MIXED TOGETHER.

SO THAT IT COLORS IT.

SO IT'S EASIER, I GUESS.

NO, NOT REALLY, JU ST FOR THE FLAVOR.

YEAH.

AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA SP READ THE DOUGH AND, YOU KNOW, FR OM THE... BASICALLY THE HALF -- YOU SPREAD IT LIKE THIS, NO T VERY THICK AT ALL.

YOU DON'T WANT A THICK CLUMP... NO.

...OF, OF DOUGH IN IT, IN THIS KIND OF TAMAL BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HA VE THE FILLING.

AND THIS FILLING CO ULD BE ANYTHING.

IT COULD BE SA UTEED CHICKEN.

IT COULD BE RE FRIED BEANS.

IT COULD BE, YO U KNOW ... AS LONG AS THEY WE RE PRETTY DRY.

SO NOW YOU HAVE IT.

YOU KNOW, SPREAD IN THE MIDDLE.

AND, BUT THIS ONE IS A PORK WITH A RED CHILE SAUCE THAT MY MOM MADE -- WITH WATER, PE PPERCORNS AND CRUSHED GA RLIC CLOVES.

SORT OF STEWED?

EXACTLY.

AND THEN YOU...

IF YOU DON'T MAKE THE CHILE SAUCE YOU CAN BUY IT.

WOULDN'T BE NEARLY AS GOOD AS YOUR MOTHER'S, BUT... NO, NO.

BU T YOU COULD BUY IT.

YOU COULD.

SO WHAT YOU'VE DO NE HERE NOW IS YOU'VE PUT ABOUT TWO TABLESPOONS OF FILLING AND THAT'S WH AT... AND YOU DIDN'T SPREAD THAT OUT... ...NO.

NO T AT ALL.

YOU JUST LEFT IT ALL ALONE?

JUST PUT IT IN THE MIDDLE.

YOU ROLL THE TAMAL.

AND THEN YOU FOLDED IT SO NOW YOU HAVE THIS NICE LITTLE PIECE.

WHAT KEEPS IT FROM COMING OUT THERE?

WELL, WE'RE GO NNA STEAM IT.

I SEE.

WE'RE GONNA PUT IT IN A TRAY.

YOU'RE GONNA SEE RIGHT NOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO PU T THEM ALL TOGETHER.

SHALL I MAKE, I'LL MAKE ONE, ZARELA.

YEAH, WHY DON'T YOU MAKE ONE.

ALL RIGHT, I'LL MAKE ONE.

WE'RE GONNA, LET ME DRY THIS FOR YOU HERE BECAUSE THIS IS A SMALLER ONE...

HERE WE GO.

...YEAH.

YOU WANT ME TO SP READ THE DOUGH OR I'LL JUST GI VE YOU THE DOUGH.

YOU JUST GIVE ME THE LUMP AND THEN I'LL, I'LL SPREAD IT.

NOT ALL THE WAY UP.

NOT, NOT ALL THE WAY UP.

NO.

JUST ABOUT HALFWAY.

I LOVE TO WORK WI TH THE DOUGH.

I LOVE THE SMELL OF THIS MASA.

OH, IT'S SO GOOD.

THAT'S THE GREAT TH ING ABOUT LARD -- IT HAS A LOVELY FLAVOR.

OH, IT DOES.

I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.

AND NOW, JUST A LUMP OF THIS.

DOESN'T SOUND VE RY APPETIZING, HUH?

A LUMP, AND A BLOB.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT COOKING'S ALL ABOUT.

I KNOW.

NOW, I FOLD IT OVER HERE.

AND I TURN THIS OVER?

WELL, YOU CAN -- OR YOU CAN BR ING THIS UP IF IT'S EASIER FO R YOU.

BRING THAT UP.

WHICH FOR MOST HOME-COOKS IT WILL BE EASIER.

YOU'RE JUST MAKING LI KE A LITTLE TART.

THEN TURN THAT DOWN.

TURN THAT UP.

YEAH, LIKE THAT.

I MADE IT A LITTLE MESSY OUTSIDE.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN IT'S COMING OUT THE BOTTOM A LITTLE BIT.

YEAH, BECAUSE WE PUT IT ...

IT WENT JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR DOWN.

SEE?

THAT'S ALL RIGHT FOR A FIRST TRY.

IT'S VERY GOOD.

NOW WE HAVE 20 TAMALES.

19 BAKED BY ZARELA AND ONE MADE BY ME.

THAT WAS IT.

AND NOW THEY'RE READY TO COOK.

SO ALMOST AS IMPORTANT AS THE ROLLING IS THE STEAMING OF THE TAMALES.

AND WE HAVE A POT HERE WITH A RACK AND THE STEAMING STARTS BY DOING A LITTLE STEAMER ARRANGER.

IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE GREAT STEAMERS THAT ARE SMALL WITH THE LITTLE HOLES ON TOP, IT MA KES LIFE A LOT EASIER.

BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, YOU MA KE A BIG WAD OF ALUMINUM FOIL THAT'S WRAPPED ABOUT A CAN, I THINK.

YEAH.

IT'S JUST LIKE VERY NICE AND TIGHT AND YOU PUT IT IN YOUR PAN.

AND THEN YOU START ARRANGING THE TAMALES AROUND.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FILLING YOU KNOW, THAT THE HOLE IS UP AND YOU JUST START PUTTING TH EM ALL AROUND LIKE THIS.

I'M GONNA BALANCE THIS BECAUSE OF... ABOUT HOW LONG DO WE STEAM THEM?

WE'RE GONNA STEAM THEM 45 MINUTES.

THEY'RE GONNA BE PRETTY TIGHTLY... YOU KNOW, PRETTY TIGHTLY PACKED SO THAT THEY STAND UP AN D STEAM VERY NICELY.

SO SEE, YOU JUST ARRANGE THEM LIKE THAT... LIKE A TEPEE STYLE, I GUESS.

I GUESS WE COULD GET A FEW MORE IN EVEN?

YEAH, WE COULD OF.

AND THEN WE'LL PUT TH IS OVER THE TOP.

AND THEN DO YOU SERVE THEM AS A FIRST COURSE OR... YEAH, OR AS A SNACK.

OR AS A, YOU KNOW, LI TTLE TYPE SANDWICH.

IF YOU HAVE LE FTOVER LEAVES YOU PUT THAT ON TOP.

THAT HELPS KEEP THE STEAM IN?

YEAH.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THIS AT HOME WHAT I LIKE TO DO -- IS TO DO THEM AHEAD OF TIME AND THEN... OH.

YOU KNOW, SO THEY'RE NI CE AND FIRM AND THAT MAKES IT EASIER TO PUT IT INSIDE OF THE POT OR EVEN LIKE A DAY AH EAD OF TIME -- NO LONGER.

...NO BUT IF YOU MAKE A LOT OF TAMALES AS YOU CAN SEE IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A PRODUCTION TO MAKE TAMALES.

YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE EX TRA ONES AND PUT SOME OF THEM AND FREEZE THEM RAW IN THE FREEZER.

OH.

AND THEY FREEZE NICELY?

THEY FREEZE BE AUTIFULLY RAW AND THEN YOU CAN TA KE THEM OUT AND STEAM THEM IN YOUR MICROWAVE BELIEVE IT OR NOT IN 10 MINUTES.

THAT'S AMAZING.

IT'S AMAZING, IT'S AMAZING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE MAKING THEM FRESH -- OF COURSE, THERE'S NO COMPARISON.

SO WE'LL PUT THIS OVER HERE.

I'LL PUT THIS ON.

AND, YEAH.

'CAUSE WE WANT TO MAINTAIN A LOW SIMMER.

AND THEN YOU CHECK TO MAKE SURE THERE'S WATER IN I GUESS, DON'T YOU?

YEAH.

BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT DRIES.

AND THEN THE DRIPPING LARD THAT'S COMING OUT BURNS AND THEN SOME OF THE LEAVES BURN.

BUT EVEN A BURNT TAMAL IS GOOD.

IT IS.

YU P. AND THEN THIS IS GO NNA TAKE 45 MINUTES.

YEAH, 4...

DEPENDS ON HOW COLD THE TAMALES ARE SO IF YOU PUT THEM IN THE REFRIGERATOR BEFORE IT MIGHT TAKE ABOUT AN HOUR.

THEN YOU'LL SHOW US HOW THEY LOOK WH EN THEY'RE DONE?

...SO WE KNOW.

GO OD.

YES.

AND THEN WE'LL EAT!

WE'LL HAVE A TAMALADA.

THERE THEY ARE ST EAMING AWAY.

I LOVE THAT SMELL WHEN YOU FIRST OPEN IT.

YOU MOVE AWAY THIS LITTLE HUSK.

AND THAT'S THE ONE IN THE BANANA LEAVES.

YES.

WE'RE GONNA LET IT SIT FOR A MOMENT.

BUT THIS IS GONNA BE PERFECT.

THESE ARE VERY, VERY HOT STILL, SO YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU BRING THEM OUT.

AND WE HAVE A CORN ONE HERE WHICH I WILL OPEN UP.

SEE, IF THIS WAS THE COMMERCIAL LARD IT WOULD OF STAYED UP A LITTLE BIT MORE BUT BELIEVE ME IT'S BETTER TO HAVE A SMALLER TAMAL MADE WITH THE PERFECT LARD THAN WITH THIS.

AND THEN THIS IS THE PORK ONE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO PLATE IT ALL WE WOULD NEED TO DO IS GET -- THIS CORN ONE -- WE'LL JUST PUT A LITTLE BIT OF THE MOLE HERE.

OH, THAT'S TH AT MOLE SAUCE?

YEAH.

I MEAN IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO EAT IT.

IN MEXICO YOU WOULD REALLY NOT EAT IT WITH A SAUCE.

YOU WOULDN'T?

NO.

BUT HERE EVERYBODY ALWAYS SAYS "WHERE'S THE SAUCE?"

SO, THERE'S "THE SAUCE."

AND THEN I JUST USE A LITTLE BIT OF THIS CORN FILLING TO GARNISH.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU WANT IT TO BE A LITTLE PRETTY.

AND THEN IT'S READY.

THAT'S VERY PRETTY.

ZARELA, IT'S BEEN A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO HAVE YOU HERE AND CERTAINLY MY WHOLE OPINION -- APPROACH TO MEXICAN FOOD HAS CHANGED.

YOU'RE VERY GENEROUS TO HELP US , AND TEACH US.

THANK YOU.

IT'S A PLEASURE.

AND I'D LIKE TO TOAST TO YOU.

A MEXICAN TOAST.

IT'S "HEALTH, LOVE, AND MONEY."

SALUD - AMOR ET DINERO.

AND THE TIME TO ENJOY IT.

AND THE SAME TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S A LOVELY MARGARITA.

WHAT DO YOU, HOW DO YOU MAKE IT?

IT'S ONE PART LIME JUICE, ONE PART TRIPLE SEC AND ONE AND A HALF PARTS OF WHITE TEQUILA.

IT'S PROBABLY MORE OF A KILLER THAN IT LOOKS, IS IT?

I KNOW.

TH EY'RE DECEPTIVE.

IT'S DELICIOUS.

LOVELY.

Julia: BON APPETIT.