Tolima-style tamal
Colombian tamales made with corn, rice, peas, hen and pork, wrapped in banana leaves and slowly cooked. Makes approximately 20 tamales.
This preparation combines corn dough with rice and peas, meats and vegetables, wrapped in individual banana-leaf parcels. Preparation times are estimates; the corn soaks for 3 days and the tamales cook for 3 to 4 hours.
Ingredient allergens
Allergen listThere are no verified associations for these ingredients yet.
Method
- 01
Soak and prepare
Soak the white cracked corn for 3 days, then grind it. Soak and cook the peas; cook the rice separately. Boil the eggs and prepare the vegetables as specified.
Ready to continue when: The corn is soaked and ground, the peas and rice are cooked, and the eggs are firm.
4320 min - 02
Cook the pork and make the sofrito
Cook the pork belly and ribs in 5 liters of water for 20 minutes, then reserve the broth. Use the pork fat to sauté the chopped scallions and garlic.
Ready to continue when: The meats have simmered for 20 minutes, the scallions and garlic are sautéed, and the broth is reserved.
20 min - 03
Mix the dough
Combine the ground corn with the rice, cooked peas and sofrito. Gradually add reserved broth if the mixture is very dry.
Ready to continue when: The mixture is even and moist, but can be placed on the leaves without running off.
- 04
Assemble and cook
Place a portion of dough on each banana leaf. Add hen, pork belly, ribs, potatoes, carrots and egg; cover with more dough. Wrap and tie each parcel with cooking twine. Cook the tamales in the broth in a covered pot over low heat for 3 to 4 hours. Add hot water if needed to keep them covered.
Ready to continue when: The parcels are firmly tied and, after 3 to 4 hours, remain intact with the filling cooked through.
240 min
Ingredients
Sources and review
Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:
- LA BIOTECNOLOGÍA PARA LA SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA, ECONÓMICA Y LA GEOPOLÍTICA doi.org/10.37885/221211159
- Por qué el Sáhara Occidental es una pieza clave para la seguridad alimentaria mundial doi.org/10.64628/aao.swhdr6qsf
- SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA INFORME DE AESAN - IDELABINGENIERIA idelabingenieria.com/seguridad-alimentaria-informe-de-aesan-sobre-el-tratamiento-termico-de-…
- Combinaciones tiempo-temperatura para el cocinado seguro de los alimentos - ELIKA www.elika.eus/es/combinaciones-tiempo-temperatura-para-el-cocinado-seguro-de-los-alimentos/
- Tratamiento térmico de los alimentos y temperaturas de conservación y regeneración | restauracioncolectiva.com www.restauracioncolectiva.com/n/tratamiento-termico-de-los-alimentos-y-temperaturas-de-conse…
- Colombia - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia
- - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUYF1E4o19U
- My Colombian Cocina | Tamal Tolimense mycolombiancocina.com/tamal-tolimense/
- Tamales colombianos: recetas y tradición auténtica | Señal Colombia www.senalcolombia.tv/cultura/tamales-colombia-historia
- Tamales colombianos: sabores únicos que tenés que probar cookpad.com/ar/buscar/tamales%20colombianos
- ¿Por qué un recalentado puede dañarle las fiestas navideñas?: evite hacer esto con los alimentos www.lafm.com.co/sociedad/recalentado-navideno-riesgos-que-pueden-danar-las-fiestas-y-como-ev…
- Una guía de tamales colombianos: ¿cuántos ha probado? - Colombia Visible colombiavisible.com/una-guia-de-tamales-colombianos-cuantos-ha-probado/
- La historia del tamal tolimense: ¿Cómo se convirtió en un plato típico colombiano? | Gastronomía | Caracol Radio caracol.com.co/2025/01/15/la-historia-del-tamal-tolimense-como-se-convirtio-en-un-plato-tipi…
State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.