Brazo de Reina (Yucatecan Pumpkin Seed Tamal Roll)
Large Yucatecan tamal roll filled with ground pumpkin seeds and hard-boiled egg.
About this recipe
Brazo de reina is a unique Yucatecan tamal shaped as a large roll, made with corn masa filled with ground pumpkin seeds (sikil) and chopped hard-boiled egg. It is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Served bathed in roasted tomato and habanero sauce, it showcases the intense and distinctive flavours of Yucatecan cuisine.
History & Origin
Brazo de reina is a Yucatecan tamal whose name evokes elegance and celebration. Unlike other Mexican tamales which are prepared individually, this one is made as a large roll that is then sliced into portions, similar to a European Swiss roll, hence its name. Its filling of ground pumpkin seeds, known as sikil in Mayan, reveals its deep pre-Hispanic roots. The pumpkin and its seeds were a fundamental food for the Maya, who cultivated them alongside maize and beans in the milpa system. The hard-boiled egg added to the filling is a post-Conquest incorporation that enriched the recipe. The nixtamalised corn masa is spread on banana leaves, filled with the pumpkin seed and egg mixture, carefully rolled up and steamed. The result is a soft and aromatic tamal that is sliced and bathed in roasted tomato sauce with habanero. In Merida and the towns of Yucatan, brazo de reina is a festive dish that appears at weddings, christenings and Day of the Dead celebrations, where it is offered as hanal pixan on the altars.
Estimated cost
£18.06
Total cost
£2.26
Per serving
* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets
Nutritional information per serving
380
Calories
14g
Protein
42g
Carbohydrates
18g
Fat
5g
Fibre
480mg
Sodium
* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.
Method
- 1
Toast the pumpkin seeds of pumpkin in a comal (flat griddle) over medium heat until it inflen and doren slightly. Grind them in molcajete (stone mortar) or blender until you get a polvo thin.
💡 No tuestes demasiado or amargaran.
- 2
Mix the dough of maiz with the pork lard melted, salt and a little stock until you get a dough soft and manejable.
💡 La dough this lista when a bolita flota in water.
- 3
Roll out the leaves of banana and untalas with a layer even of dough of 1 cm of thickness.
💡 Pasa the leaves of banana for the llama for suavizarlas before of usarlas.
- 4
Spread the ground pumpkin seeds over the dough and add the chopped hard-boiled egg. Roll up carefully like a Swiss roll.
💡 Leave the edges of the leaf free of dough so you can seal it well.
- 5
Wrap the rollo in mas leaves of banana and amarra with tiras of the misma leaf. Cook to the vapor for 1 hour.
- 6
Prepare the sauce asando tomatoes and habanero, licualos and frielos in oil. Cut the brazo of reina into rounds and serve banado with the sauce.
💡 Acompana with red onion curtida for a toque autentico.
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Founder, Recetas Mexas
Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.
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