Thanks, Fina. Your comments inspire me to keep on cooking. Enjoy this tamales!

Thanks for asking, Joey. This recipe for tamales was taught by Chef Romy Dorotan of Purple Yam NYC in Brooklyn. It is the same recipe in their cookbook “Memories of Philippine Kitchens”. The Chef recommended using sticky or sweet rice (“Malagkit”) for this recipe. It has the best results. I don’t think rice flour will work for this one. Hope this info helps you.

…Also, the tamale was a staple of native peoples of Mesoamerica like the Mayans, Toltecs and Aztecs. So that Phillipino tradition among others is not really Spanish but Mexican.

You have a very nice website Elizabeth Q! I just want to correct some minor assertions on your part pertaining the Filipino tamale. Many people falsely believe that Filipino traditions like the tamale or menudo come from the Spanish, well it doesn’t. The origins of some Filipino foods and words like the tamale were brought by Spanish from Mexico known as the New Spain from 1521 to 1821. The work tamale comes from the Nahuatl word tamali, of course the Nahuatl language was spoken by the Aztecs from central Mexico. Also, the Phillipines was not a colony of Spain for 500 years as you stated but more like 333 years.

thank you again

This is one of the things I’m most looking forward to when I go back to Zamboanga City to visit this summer. This and siopao.

Are they on the menu @Purple Yam? If so, I need to go there tonight. If not, I’m making ’em this weekend.

Thanks, Jenni. A “tamales” party is a great idea. You can go wild and have a buffet of ingredients around, guests can make their own. Add shrimps, peas, different peppers, veggie strips, and so much more!

Absolutely I will try it–maybe we’ll have a “tamales from around the world” party this summer!