Tamales De Rajas Con Queso (Chiles with Cheese)

Place dried corn husks in water and allow them to soak during the duration of the process.

Char each poblano pepper over a low and open flame for about 2-3 minutes on each side, turning with tongs until lightly blackened but not burnt on all sides. Place charred poblano peppers in zip-loc bag and seal, keeping steam inside. Allow these to sit for about 5 minutes, as this will make it easy to remove the charred skin. Remove skin, stem and seeds from poblano pepper and set aside.

Coarsely, dice poblano peppers and then place in bowl. Mix in shredded Oaxacan or Monterrey Jack cheese, and roasted corn (optional) until all ingredients are combined. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt and mix.

To assemble, coat each corn husk with a layer of Mi Rancho’s Masa Preparada in the shape of a square or rectangle about ¼ of an inch in thickness. Coat each corn husk about three quarters of the way, leaving the end of the corn husk bare, about ½ inch to 1 inch. Add about 1 tablespoon of mixture (dependent on size) in the middle of the coated corn husk. Fold over on each side, press gently and then fold over section that is bare of the corn husk, making sure that the tamale is not rolled too tightly. If desired, you can use strips of one of the dried corns husks to tie around the prepared tamale to keep secure.

Once all tamales have been filled, place a steamer insert in a tall stainless-steel pot. Fill water to about 2- 3 inches in height so that the water does not rise above the steamer insert. Place the tamales on top of the steamer insert with the open tail facing upwards in the pot and cover with a lid. Allow the tamales to steam up to an hour on medium to low heat. The duration that you allow the tamales to cook for is dependent on quantity, adjust accordingly if you’re making a lot. The tamales will be ready to enjoy once the masa has cooked through and solidified.