Hallacas Guajiras De Pollo (chicken Tamales)

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts, bone in and skin on
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 4 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon sazon goya con culantro y achiote or 3 tablespoons ground achiote
• salt
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
• 1 cup green beans
• 2 tablespoons capers (rough chop if large)
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, minced
• 3 tablespoons golden raisins
• 1 lb masa harina (yellow masarepa precooked corn meal)
• 5 cups hot water
• salt
• 2 tablespoons achiote oil
• 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tablespoon sazon goya, con azafran
• 1/2 cup water (more if needed)
• banana leaves or aluminum foil

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan, combine chicken, onion, garlic, chopped red and green peppers, green onions, cumin, sazon, salt and water; bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and cook until the chicken is very tender, about an hour (most of the water will have cooked out).
• 2 let cool a bit, then shred chicken, discarding bones and skin.
• 3 place chicken back in the sauce pan and add in the peas and carrots, green beans, capers, minced red bell pepper, and raisins.
• 4 meanwhile, prepare the alinos by placing all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and processing to form a paste; you will only use 1/2 cup of this, but the rest can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for longer storage (it is fantastic in rice, soups, or stews).
• 5 now place the masarepa in a large bowl; add water, salt, 1/2 cup of the alinos, and achiote oil.
• 6 mix with your hands until smooth.
• 7 to assemble: on a clean work surface, place a banana leaf, then place another one perpendicular to sort of form a cross.
• 8 spread out about 5 tablespoons (not rounded) in the center and top with 3 tablespoons of the filling.
• 9 make a package by folding up the inner banana leaf, then the other; tie with kitchen string.
• 10 repeat with remaining masa and filling.
• 11 place water under the steamer basket, bring to a boil, reduce heat and steam, covered, until the masa is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes.