Chanchamitos: what they are and how to make them

What is it?

Chanchamitos are small, round, reddish tamales characteristic of Tabasco, southern Veracruz and Chiapas. Their spherical shape and compact size (barely that of a tennis ball) set them apart from the elongated tamales of central Mexico. The dough is dyed with achiote, giving them an intense orange colour, and they are usually filled with shredded chicken or pork in tomato and chilli salsa. They are wrapped one by one in squares of banana leaf and steamed. They appear at breakfasts, family parties and wakes in south-eastern Mexico, where they are served with refried black beans, clay-pot coffee and sometimes habanero chilli salsa.

Origin and history

The chanchamito has pre-Hispanic Maya and Olmec roots, regions where the cultivation of achiote (Bixa orellana) has been constant for more than two thousand years. Wikipedia documents that the term may derive from the Tabasco word chancha, a local way of naming preparations wrapped in leaf, with the diminutive -ito for their small size. Larousse Cocina catalogues it as a traditional Tabasco tamale, although it is also made in southern Veracruz (Coatzacoalcos, Minatitlan) and in parts of Chiapas. The colonial recipe incorporated pork and chicken, which replaced the turkey and iguana of older fillings. Excelsior describes how in Tabasco it is still prepared for family celebrations and gastronomic festivals such as the Feria Tabasco, where it represents the richness of the dough-cooking of the humid tropics.

Characteristic ingredients

Chanchamito dough is made with finely ground nixtamalised maize, pork lard and chicken or pork broth. Achiote paste dissolved in bitter orange juice or vinegar is incorporated, which gives colour and a characteristic earthy aroma. The traditional filling is minced chicken or pork stewed with tomato, onion, garlic and sweet pepper. The banana leaves are lightly grilled to make them flexible and cut into small squares. Each chanchamito is formed by taking a ball of dough, pressing in a finger, placing a teaspoon of filling, closing it and wrapping it into a spherical shape with the leaf. They are steamed for about 45 minutes. Some contemporary versions use epazote, hoja santa or Tabasco amashito chilli to give them more complexity.

Cultural significance

Chanchamitos are part of the leaf-cooking tradition of south-eastern Mexico, a direct inheritance from the Maya and Olmec kitchens. In Tabasco they are one of the state's gastronomic symbols and usually appear at weddings, christenings, first communions and novena prayers. Excelsior describes them as a Tabasco jewel and links them to the domestic economy of Tabasco housewives who still make them by the dozen to sell in local markets. In Chontal areas they are kept as an offering on Day of the Dead altars. The small size of the piece makes them ideal for banquets where large quantities are served without waste: each diner takes two or three chanchamitos with their coffee. Today they are also incorporated into contemporary Mexican menus as a gourmet appetiser representative of the tropics.

Frequently asked questions

Where do chanchamitos come from?

Chanchamitos come from Tabasco, southern Veracruz and part of Chiapas. Tabasco is where they are most identified as a traditional dish of their own, especially in the Chontal region and the municipalities near Villahermosa. In the Veracruz isthmus (Coatzacoalcos, Minatitlan) they are also common and usually appear at family breakfasts and ritual celebrations.

What is the difference between chanchamitos and ordinary tamales?

Chanchamitos are small and round like a ball, while traditional tamales are elongated or rectangular. Their dough is dyed with achiote, giving them an intense orange colour. They are wrapped in banana leaf, not maize husk, and their size makes them ideal for serving several per person as an appetiser rather than a single piece.

What does a chanchamito taste like?

It tastes of maize and achiote, with a slightly smoky base from cooking in banana leaf. The dough is dense, not fluffy, with a salty touch of lard and broth. The chicken or pork filling in tomato adds acidity and a little heat if amashito or habanero chilli is added. The overall flavour is earthy, rich and comforting.

How are chanchamitos served?

They are served hot, fresh from the steamer, two or three per person, on a deep plate with a ladle of refried black beans on the side. They are accompanied by clay-pot coffee or hot chocolate, and often with a spicy salsa of habanero or molcajete-ground amashito chilli. At wakes and prayers they are usually offered as a starter before a main stew.