Vegan Tamales Recipe

Make the Filling

1. Gather the ingredients.
   

2. Clean the mushrooms. Tear or cut them into 1-inch-sized pieces.
   

3. Heat grapeseed oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add sliced onions and salt and cook until the onions are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking on medium-low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. If not using right away, store cooked mushrooms and onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
   

Make the Sauce

1. Gather the ingredients.
   

2. Confit the garlic: In a small saucepan on medium-low heat, heat 1/4 cup grapeseed oil. Add half of the peeled garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cloves of garlic turn light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and allow garlic to cool.
   

3. Stem and deseed the guajillo chiles. Hold the end of a chile with one hand, use a very sharp knife, and cut off the stem and calyx (the part that connects the stem to the chile). Pour out any remaining seeds. Set aside.
   

4. In another pan on medium-high heat, toast the dried peppers on each side until the skin darkens and their fragrance is released, about 1 1/2 minutes. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan.
   

5. Remove and add the chiles to a blender. Set aside.
   

6. Toast the coriander, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and cloves in the same pan over medium heat until they release their fragrance, about 30 to 45 seconds. Remove spices from heat immediately and set aside in a small bowl to cool.
   

7. Add hot water, vinegar, and salt to the toasted chiles in the blender. This is an acidic saline solution that will soften the peppers. Cover with the lid and allow to steep until the chiles are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.
   

8. Once the peppers are soft, add the toasted spices, the remaining garlic cloves, and the chopped onion, and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the garlic confit (the garlic and the oil it cooked in) and continue to blend to create a smooth, emulsified base.
   

9. Pour half of the sauce and the mushrooms into a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the filling to cool before using. If not using right away, store filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
   

10. Add the other half of the sauce to a saucepan and simmer over low heat for an additional 10 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, so it does not stick to the bottom. The longer the sauce cooks, the more fully developed the flavors will be. If not using right away, store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    

Make the Dough

1. Gather the ingredients.
   

2. In a large bowl, mix together the masa harina, baking powder, and salt. Slowly drizzle the grapeseed oil into the flour, mixing with an electric mixer as you pour.
   

3. Do the same with the vegetable stock, whipping at a higher speed. Continue whipping until the dough is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add more vegetable stock. Whipping aerates the dough for a fluffy texture. Your consistency should feel smooth, thick, and creamy, like ricotta. Taste for seasoning. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready for use.
   

Assemble and Cook the Tamales

1. Remove corn husks from the package and submerge all into a deep bowl of hot water. Soak until soft and pliable, about 5 minutes.
   

2. Working with 2 to 4 husks at a time, or 1 at a time, if you are a beginner, shake off excess water before laying the husk out onto a clean work surface area.
   

3. Take 2 or 3 of the husks, and tear them lengthwise, following the grain, into quarter-inch-thick strips. You will use these to tie the tamales together; or you can use kitchen twine. Set aside on a small plate.
   

4. Set out all of the components of the tamales in an assembly line: Husks, masa, filling, and shredded husks.
   

5. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the center of each husk, about 1/2 inch away from the widest end. Top with a heaping tablespoons of filling in the center of the dough. If your husks are very narrow, use two overlapping husks.
   

6. Now you are ready to fold the tamales. Carefully bring the sides together to meet at the center, enclosing the filling.
   

7. Then, fold the narrow tip of the husk over the filled section. Take one of the husk strips and use it to tie the tamale together, crosswise. Set aside.
   

8. Set a steamer basket inside a large pot and pour water just until it reaches the basket. Bring the water to a simmer. Begin layering in the tamales, folded-end down. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat. Steam for 45 minutes.
   

9. Once tamales are cooked, remove them from the pot and cool until they can be handled. Eat immediately, drizzled with the reserved salsa.
   

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