Making tamalitos

Friday we had a visiting church come to Patzun to be with us in our Friday night service. Earlier that day, the women of the church made a supper to be served afterwards. I helped with the preparations. They are quite different than what we would fix in the States. Here I am making tamalitos. (Masa [corn dough that is used to make tortillas] wrapped in tusa [corn husk].) I personally would like it better if they had some salt mixed in. Chuchitos are similar, but they have some tomato sauce and a piece of meat/fat/bone included in the center.

A couple of the ladies making tamalitos

First you start with a ball of masa shaped a little elongated.
(Notice the girl talking on the cell phone!)

Next, position it in a corn husk.

Wrap the husk around the sides,

then fold the top and bottom of the husk over the masa.
(I'm sitting on a bucket.)

And there you have your tamalito -
ready to be steamed for about an hour to an hour and a half.
(Cell phone conversation still going!)

I wish I had taken a picture of the big pot of tamalitos over the open fire. Since their BIG pots don't have lids, and to steam something effectively requires a lid, the women tear open plastic bags, (to make them flat). They wet the plastic and then place it over the food, tucking it around the sides of the pot.

I also helped cut up tomatoes - without the use of a utensil. The ladies just started using their fingers to tear the tomatoes apart. So....I joined in. It was a first for me.