Okay, so I’ve been wanting to try making nacatamales, the Nicaraguan kind, for ages. I finally decided to just go for it today. It’s a bit of a project, but I was up for the challenge!
Getting Started
First, I had to gather all the ingredients. This was a mission in itself! I went to a couple of different stores to find everything. The main things are:
- Masa (corn dough) – I found pre-made masa at a Latin grocery store. Saved me a ton of time!
- Pork – I used a big chunk of pork shoulder.
- Rice – Just regular long-grain rice.
- Plantain leaves– these took a few visits to find the right place.
- Veggies and stuff – Potatoes, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, mint, and achiote paste (for color and flavor).
Prepping the Ingredients
After shopping i washed all the ingredients.
Next up, I prepped all the components. I started by marinating the pork. I cut it into large chunks and rubbed it with a mixture of achiote paste, salt, pepper, and some bitter orange juice (I used regular orange juice mixed with lime since I couldn’t find bitter orange). I let that sit in the fridge for a few hours.
While the pork was marinating, I soaked the rice in water for about an hour. Then, I prepped all the veggies – sliced the potatoes, onions, and bell peppers, and chopped the tomatoes and mint.
The plantain leaves were a bit tricky. I had to clean them really well and then soften them over the stove flame so they wouldn’t break when I folded them. I watched some videos online, beacuse I did not know how to do it at first,It took a few tries, but I got the hang of it.
Making the Masa
I used the pre-made masa, which was a lifesaver. I mixed it with some lard (you can also use shortening), salt, and a little bit of the pork marinade to give it extra flavor. I kneaded it until it was smooth and pliable. It felt a bit like Play-Doh!
Assembling the Nacatamales
This was the fun (and messy) part! I laid out a large piece of plantain leaf, then spread a layer of masa on it. Then I added a few pieces of the marinated pork, some rice, potato slices, onion, bell pepper, tomato, and a sprig of mint. I topped it with another spoonful of masa to kind of seal everything in.
Then came the folding. It’s like wrapping a present, but with food! I folded the sides of the leaf over the filling, then folded the top and bottom to create a neat little package. I tied each nacatamal with kitchen twine to keep it all together.
Cooking the Nacatamales
I placed all the wrapped nacatamales in a huge pot. I added enough water to cover them, then brought it to a boil. Once it was boiling, I lowered the heat and let them simmer for about 4-5 hours. This is a long time, but it’s important to make sure everything is cooked through.
The Final Result!
After hours of waiting, they were finally done! I carefully took them out of the pot and let them cool slightly before unwrapping them. And… they were amazing! The masa was soft and flavorful, the pork was tender, and all the veggies and rice were perfectly cooked. It was a lot of work, but totally worth it. I’m definitely going to make these again, maybe for a special occasion. Now i am eating it!
