Receta Filipino Tamales (Bubuto)
Tamales like most of us know is a popular Mexican dish, but did you know there is a Filipino version of it? While Philippines cuisine is usually associated with the Spanish cuisine did you know that Mexico has an influence as well? Champorado, avocado, azucena, cereza / aratilis, sayote, tsokolate, menudo and pipian are the main ones but there are many too mention in this post. This all happened during the Manila Galleon Trade (1565–1815) where there was heavy trading between the two countries. Mainly spices were traded during this times but as an effect other things like culture, traditions and even cuisine have been introduced to the Philippines and our dish today the Tamales was one of them. Filipino Tamales is a dish highly influenced by Mexico where rice, coconut milk, chicken, boiled eggs and sausages is cooked with rice flour and coconut milk wrapped in banana leaf then steamed. It may look like both dishes are different if you investigate closely both concepts are similar where starch and meat is steamed in a leaf, the Mexican version was just adjusted to the local ingredients available that time in the Philippines hence corn husk was replaced with banana leaf, corn flour was replaced with rice flour and fillings are replaced with what’s readily available during those times.Honestly I never had tried this in the Philippines, I only saw them but never had a bite ever until a Filipino colleague of mine asked me whether I have this recipe on my blog already. I did not know how to prepare them so I asked what it is made of and after some online research I have a recipe. I did not know whether it tasted like how it did back home so I brought some to the office and let him try, guess what? It was a success, I am glad that he told me it was the same taste and texture of what he grew up with.Personally I told him I am not an avid fan of this dish even the Mexican version, while I like what I made, this is not the dish I will crave on a regular basis. I might not be used with the texture as I never grew up eating them but I guess I will start to love it after 2 or 3 more tries. Hopefully someone tries this recipe so I will have a second opinion and see whether I really made this correctly.Filipino Tamales (Bubuto) Save PrintPrep time Cook time Total time Serves: 12 pcsIngredients2½ cups rice flour250 g cooked chicken meat, flaked (preferably thigh part)4 cups coconut milk1 cup chicken broth1 tbsp atsuete powder1½ tbsp smooth peanut butter3 salted duck eggs, quartered4 pcs rehydrated dried shiitake, sliced1 shallot, minced4 cloves garlic, mincedsaltfreshly ground black pepperoilbanana leaves, washed and trimmed then cut into 20 x 30 cm rectangle portionsInstructionsIn a wok over medium heat add oil then sauté shallots and garlic, cook until shallots are soft.Pour coconut milk and chicken stock then bring it to a gentle boil. Add rice flour while continuously mixing to avoid limps then cook for 3 minutes or until smooth and even in texture, season with a bit of salt. It should resemble a really soft dough. Remove from wok then set aside.Divide rice dough into 2 parts, ⅔ goes in one bowl and the remaining ⅓ on another.Dissolve annatto powder in a tablespoon of hot water then pour it into the ⅓ rice dough. Add the peanut butter and mix until colour is even.Place 2 tablespoons of the white rice then 1 tablespoon of the peanut butter rice into prepared banana leaf. Top with salted duck eggs, flaked chicken and sliced shiitake mushrooms. Fold and seal then set aside.Arrange tamales in a steamer and steam for 30 minutes or until cooked.3.5.3208 Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading...