From Eggs to Apples Episode V: The Aztecs (Spiral Seashell Tamales and Frog Stew with Green Chilies)
In our final episode of From Eggs to Apples, we diverge from the ancient world to 16th-century Mexico and the empire of the Aztecs. The Aztecs had a highly advanced and varied cuisine that made use of creative and unusual ingredients, including an animal some still regard as a delicacy, though others today might disagree. Yes. We made frog meat (spoiler alert: it's delicious).
Thanks so much for watching From Eggs to Apples! We hope this series has brought you a new perspective on the creativity and ingenuity of our ancestors.
PS: here's a modern Mexican recipe for a layered tamal with beans that resembles this historical Aztec tamal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_co...
Spiral Seashell Tamales
1 15-oz can of black or pinto beans
2 tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes or chili powder
2 cups masa harina (cornflour)
¾ cup water
12-15 corn husks (available at Latin American markets), plus more for steaming
Dried hoja santa leaves broken in pieces, one for each tamal (a uniquely Mexican herb available at Latin American markets. If unavailable, skip or substitute bay leaves.)
Put the corn husks in cold water and set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Drain beans and mash into paste along with 1 teaspoon salt and the chili powder or flakes, using a food processor or mortar and pestle.
Cook the bean paste mixture in a skillet or pan on medium heat, stirring constantly, until all the water has evaporated. It should be thick enough to stand a spoon in and slightly dry to the touch. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, water, and another teaspoon of salt into a uniform dough and knead for 10-15 minutes.
Pull off a small lump of dough and shape into a rough square about the size of your hand.
Take a pinch of the cooled bean paste and spread it with your fingers in a thin, even layer over the surface of the dough square, leaving about ¼ of an inch of the rectangle bare at one end.
Starting at the end opposite the bare end of the dough square, roll the dough into a cylinder. If desired, cut the end off one side with a sharp knife to make the spiral more visible.
Repeat until all the dough has been made into cylinders.
Drain the corn husks. Each will make two tamales. For each husk, tear in half lengthwise, following the fibers of the corn.
Note that each husk has a pointy end and a flat end. Open a husk and place a piece of hoja santa leaf in the center, followed by a dough cylinder, with the end of the dough nearly touching the flat end of the corn husk, opposite the pointy end. Fold the left and right sides of the corn husk over the lump of dough, then fold the pointed end of the husk up, leaving the flat end of the tamal open.
Fit the tamales into a steamer basket lined with more corn husks, standing them with the open ends up. Fill the pot below the basket with about 1 inch of water.
Put the tamal-filled steamer basket on top of the pot and cover with additional corn husks, a damp cloth, and then the lid.
Bring the water to a boil and steam the tamales for 40-45 minutes, adding more water if necessary.
Serve in bowls with sauce or stew for dipping.
Frog Stew with Green Chilis
2 large frogs, gutted and skinned (available at Asian markets; vendors will generally take care of the skinning and gutting for you)
10-12 green chili peppers (fresh if possible, but canned works too)
2 plum tomatoes
3 tomatillos (available at Latin American markets)
1 cup water
Salt
Fresh epazote (This herb is unique to Mexican cuisine and only available from Mexican vendors. Cilantro makes a post-Columbian, but equally tasty, substitute)
Chili powder (optional)
Roast the chilis, tomatoes and tomatillos on a bare stovetop grill, or by holding them over a bare gas burner with tongs. Remove them from the heat when some black spots and blistering appear on the skin.
Allow the charred vegetables to cool.
While vegetables are cooling, rinse frogs under cold water and cut each frog into 4-6 chunks of about the same size. Set aside.
Cut the vegetables into small pieces and set aside.
In a medium pot or skillet, cook the cut vegetable pieces with the ¾ cup water for about 10 minutes over medium heat.
Lower the heat, add the pieces of frog meat, cover, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the frog is cooked through. Fully-cooked frog meat will be white and separates easily from the bone.
When the frog meat is finished, add salt to taste and more chili powder if desired. Remove from the heat and stir in epazote leaves. Serve with tamales for dipping.
From Eggs to Apples is hosted by Andrew Coletti (@passtheflamingo) and Fiorella Di Carlo, RN, CDC (@fiorellaeats). Special thanks to Kevin Schreck, Henry Liu, Walden Wang, Huỳnh Nguyễn Tường Băng, Ismail Butera, and Astoria Soundworks. In memory of Bill Mullen.
Thanks so much for watching From Eggs to Apples! We hope this series has brought you a new perspective on the creativity and ingenuity of our ancestors.
PS: here's a modern Mexican recipe for a layered tamal with beans that resembles this historical Aztec tamal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_co...
Spiral Seashell Tamales
1 15-oz can of black or pinto beans
2 tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes or chili powder
2 cups masa harina (cornflour)
¾ cup water
12-15 corn husks (available at Latin American markets), plus more for steaming
Dried hoja santa leaves broken in pieces, one for each tamal (a uniquely Mexican herb available at Latin American markets. If unavailable, skip or substitute bay leaves.)
Put the corn husks in cold water and set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Drain beans and mash into paste along with 1 teaspoon salt and the chili powder or flakes, using a food processor or mortar and pestle.
Cook the bean paste mixture in a skillet or pan on medium heat, stirring constantly, until all the water has evaporated. It should be thick enough to stand a spoon in and slightly dry to the touch. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, water, and another teaspoon of salt into a uniform dough and knead for 10-15 minutes.
Pull off a small lump of dough and shape into a rough square about the size of your hand.
Take a pinch of the cooled bean paste and spread it with your fingers in a thin, even layer over the surface of the dough square, leaving about ¼ of an inch of the rectangle bare at one end.
Starting at the end opposite the bare end of the dough square, roll the dough into a cylinder. If desired, cut the end off one side with a sharp knife to make the spiral more visible.
Repeat until all the dough has been made into cylinders.
Drain the corn husks. Each will make two tamales. For each husk, tear in half lengthwise, following the fibers of the corn.
Note that each husk has a pointy end and a flat end. Open a husk and place a piece of hoja santa leaf in the center, followed by a dough cylinder, with the end of the dough nearly touching the flat end of the corn husk, opposite the pointy end. Fold the left and right sides of the corn husk over the lump of dough, then fold the pointed end of the husk up, leaving the flat end of the tamal open.
Fit the tamales into a steamer basket lined with more corn husks, standing them with the open ends up. Fill the pot below the basket with about 1 inch of water.
Put the tamal-filled steamer basket on top of the pot and cover with additional corn husks, a damp cloth, and then the lid.
Bring the water to a boil and steam the tamales for 40-45 minutes, adding more water if necessary.
Serve in bowls with sauce or stew for dipping.
Frog Stew with Green Chilis
2 large frogs, gutted and skinned (available at Asian markets; vendors will generally take care of the skinning and gutting for you)
10-12 green chili peppers (fresh if possible, but canned works too)
2 plum tomatoes
3 tomatillos (available at Latin American markets)
1 cup water
Salt
Fresh epazote (This herb is unique to Mexican cuisine and only available from Mexican vendors. Cilantro makes a post-Columbian, but equally tasty, substitute)
Chili powder (optional)
Roast the chilis, tomatoes and tomatillos on a bare stovetop grill, or by holding them over a bare gas burner with tongs. Remove them from the heat when some black spots and blistering appear on the skin.
Allow the charred vegetables to cool.
While vegetables are cooling, rinse frogs under cold water and cut each frog into 4-6 chunks of about the same size. Set aside.
Cut the vegetables into small pieces and set aside.
In a medium pot or skillet, cook the cut vegetable pieces with the ¾ cup water for about 10 minutes over medium heat.
Lower the heat, add the pieces of frog meat, cover, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the frog is cooked through. Fully-cooked frog meat will be white and separates easily from the bone.
When the frog meat is finished, add salt to taste and more chili powder if desired. Remove from the heat and stir in epazote leaves. Serve with tamales for dipping.
From Eggs to Apples is hosted by Andrew Coletti (@passtheflamingo) and Fiorella Di Carlo, RN, CDC (@fiorellaeats). Special thanks to Kevin Schreck, Henry Liu, Walden Wang, Huỳnh Nguyễn Tường Băng, Ismail Butera, and Astoria Soundworks. In memory of Bill Mullen.