Corunda (Michoacan steamed corn tamales?)

"Corunda" are steamed tamales from Michoacan, that usually contain no filling, they are rectangular in shape and small and typically wrapped in a type of fresh corn leaf that's really long (it's the long green leaves from the stalk of corn, NOT the corn leaves incasing the corn but the one's that come out of stalk).

These tamales are steamed plain with no filling and used to accompany any meal, it replaces the tortillas and rice at the dinner table when cooked. It can accompany stews of meats cooked in red sauce or green sauce, with sour cream (preferably Mexican cream which can be looser, less sour, and unsalted) some people will eat it with beans on the side as well. The simples way to eat them is with a red spicy sauce ladled over them and sour cream. In my house they are served to accompany main dishes.

I've never had em in like my whole life lol. my mother told me she hasn't had them since she moved from Michoacan (she was 17 at the time and now well she's in her early 40's so it's been a long time) she had no clue how to make them either since she say's usually it was street food and vendors who sell them were plentiful, typically prepared by the more indiginous groups in those area's my mom calls em "Guaresitas" (it's stereotypically short dark woman who were known for making delicious street foods, sell very fresh produce, and known for selling complex spice mixtures for preparing things like mole and stuff like that) but since my mother had been craving them for awhile and my other grandmother from my Mexican side came from Texas, I set out to find a recipe.

The recipe I used was found on yahoo answers in a Spanish forum.

http://mx.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070704130546AARSroB

I chose it because the recipe seemed very authentic and logical, not too complicated. Also I like to get recipes from forums that people share with a little story or something because it's similar to getting it from a blog because someone who prepares it or may be familiar with something is sharing what they know in a more personal way. The recipe didn't really have measurements, pictures, or the procedure for the wrapping, it was one of those recipes that's word of mouth where someone just writes it out, I found it awhile back, and the lady said it was the recipe her parents use whom are vendors, so I trusted it.

HOWEVER I wanna let you all know that down here I was NOT able to find the long, fresh corn leaves from the corn stalk known as "hoja de milpa" so the closest substitute to form these after asking around is using banana leave, I've heard some do this. So please don't kill me if your a purist and talk shit cuz I used banana leaves, I also used string because well with banana leave it cant be wrapped into that shape that you can do without any strings using the "hoja de milpa" which thanks to a comment I received is also known as a type of reed, but yeah instead of talking shit *cough cough, send me the fresh corn leaves, or tell me where I can buy them in Los Angeles area or Valley LOL. nonetheless they were still delicious :)

Ingredients for liquid used to form dough:
-8 cleaned tomatillo leaves (a type of green mexican tomato incased in a husk type leaf)
-water to boil them (use like 6-7 cups you won't use it all but just to be safe)

Ingredients:
-2 cups of lard (1/2 a kilo)
-2 tablespoons baking powder
-4 1/2 cups masa harina/ maseca (that is about 1 kilo)
-2 heaping teaspoons salt
-reserved tomatillo water
Ingredients for wrapping:
-30- 40 fresh corn leaves (soaked overnight, drained, then pat dried)
OR
as I did about 2 lbs banana leaves (cut into long squares, lengh wise, and ugly edges, cut off, soak them in water briefly, drain, and pass through fire, or a dry hot skillet to make them pliable)

Directions for dough:
(1) Start by boiling the cleaned tomatillo leaves in water, for about 20 minutes to really infuse it, it's what gives it that special taste. Add salt, and set aside.
incase anyone is curious this is the tomatillo that was inside the leaf
(2) Now get 2 cups lard and cream it with the baking powder using a hand beater about 10 minutes until real creamy and fluffy then add salt and beat a bit.
(3) Slowly incorporate the 4 1/2 cups of masa harina until real incorporated (this process takes another 5-10 minutes) you will get a crumbly mixture/ lumpy
(4) 1 cup at a time slowly add the tomatillo water, I used a total of 4 cups, maybe 4 1/2. The mixture will look crumbly but it won't be, it'll be moist when you touch it and soft, some of it will seperate from the edges. Set this masa aside you are done.
Directions for wrapping (I took pictures)
(1) If using banana leaves hold it like so

Place 2 tablespoonfuls of dough, make it a rectangular shape, fold a piece of the edge towards it, then fold a traingle shape over it, and wrap

then tie it with kitchen string
IF using fresh corn leaves, you need to wrap it like a cone shape, add filling into the cone, and use the remainder of the long leaf to seal it, and tie it with string if needed.

Directions for steaming and finishing cooking:
(1) Get a large "tamalera" or steamer, and steam on medium high heat for about 1 1/2 hours. I covered it with more leaves since i had a few leftover.
(2) They are ready to serve we served it with "Pollo en Chile Verde "(chicken in green sauce), "Frijoles de la Olla" (Mexican, Pinto Beans boiled with onion, garlic, and salt), a very spicy "salsa" and fresh Mexican unsalted cream :) This is my lil sister's plate she wanted no beans (she only eats beans like when it's cooked in "Moros", "Congri" or the Salvadorian "Casamiento" the other way she eats them is if they are liquified and refried preferably black beans, or in a Potaje with lots of chorizo and stuff)
here's mine well I had it for lunch the next day with black beans instead of pintos :)
PLEASE NOTE:
*I broke it down into lots of steps, but like it is real simple, just sounds complicated but very do- able if your up for it.

*My mom say's they taste just like the one's she's had in Michoacan, EXCEPT that they were more fluffy/ less dense (she prefers them more dense) I'm guessing less baking powder in the future for denser results. But overall very good :)

*The recipe for the meats cooked in red or green sauce can be found on my post for "Tamales Mexicanos" like the traditional Mexican tamales I have the recipe for both there check it out and click link below:

http://nathanscomida.blogspot.com/2010/01/tamales-mexicanos-de-puerco-en-chile.html

*If interested in a dessert variation called "Tamales de Pina" (Pineapple tamales) click the link below too:

http://nathanscomida.blogspot.com/2010/03/tamales-de-pina-pineapple-tamales.html