Tamales colados: what they are and how the masa is made

What is it?

Strained tamales are one of the finest preparations of Yucatecan cuisine. Their name comes from the technique of straining or sieving the maize dough diluted in broth to achieve a silky texture, almost like custard, very different from the fluffy dough of the tamales of central Mexico. They are flavoured with red achiote recado, have a filling of chicken cooked in its own juices and are wrapped in banana leaf. After cooking they end up glossy, orange and almost translucent. They are part of the everyday repertoire of Yucatecan and Campeche family kitchens and usually appear at breakfasts, birthdays and as an offering at Hanal Pixan alongside the mucbipollo.

Origin and history

Larousse Cocina describes strained tamales as a direct inheritance from Yucatec Maya cooking and as a preparation that has remained almost unchanged since the colonial era. The use of achiote and the dough-straining technique predate the arrival of the Spanish; the filling animals (chicken, pork) were incorporated after contact. Yucatan Today documents that every Yucatecan family has its own recipe and that in areas such as Mama, Mani, Tixkokob and Merida strained tamales are everyday food. Pati Jinich presents them as an elegant dish because of their creamy texture, reminiscent of a souffle in consistency. The traditional formula uses maize flour slowly dissolved in chicken broth reddened with achiote, cooked stirring constantly until a silky paste is obtained, which is poured onto grilled banana leaves alongside the filling.

Characteristic ingredients

The strained dough is made by dissolving fresh nixtamalised maize dough or nixtamalised flour (Maseca type) in cold chicken broth, sieving it through a fine strainer to remove lumps and then cooking it, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it thickens like a very dense atole. It is seasoned with red recado (achiote, garlic, cumin, pepper, vinegar and salt), a pinch of sugar and pork lard. The chicken is cooked separately in bitter orange juice, garlic and Yucatecan oregano; when shredded it is mixed with tomato, white onion and sweet pepper. To assemble the tamale, a banana leaf is grilled over the flame until flexible, a ladle of strained dough is placed, a portion of chicken is added with another touch of dough on top, the wrapping is closed and it is steamed for 30 minutes. The result is a tamale of almost liquid dough, soft as flan.

Cultural significance

Strained tamales are part of the gastronomic heritage of Yucatan and Campeche. They stand out as the aristocratic tamales of peninsular cooking, associated with important moments such as christenings, first communions, civil weddings and, above all, Hanal Pixan, when they are placed on altars alongside the mucbipollo. Pati Jinich and Yucatan Today rank them among the recipes that best represent the refinement of Yucatec Maya cooking after centuries of mestizaje with Spanish cuisine. The traditional cooks of towns such as Mama and Mani are guardians of the straining technique, which requires patience and skill so the dough neither burns nor goes lumpy. In 2010 UNESCO recognised traditional Mexican cuisine as Intangible Heritage of Humanity and, within it, Yucatecan cooking with preparations like this is one of the most visible regional pillars.

Frequently asked questions

Why are they called strained tamales?

They are called that because the dough is diluted in broth and strained or sieved through a cloth strainer or fine sieve before cooking. That technique removes the lumps and produces a silky dough, almost liquid when raw and soft as custard after cooking. The term strained refers to the process, not the ingredient. It is the opposite of the dough beaten into fluffy lumps in the tamale of central Mexico.

What is the difference between a strained tamale and an ordinary Yucatecan tamale?

A strained tamale has creamy, soft, glossy dough, almost the texture of flan. An ordinary Yucatecan tamale (such as the vaporcito or the mucbipollo) has firm dough similar to that of any Mexican tamale. The difference is in the process: in the strained one the dough is diluted and sieved; in the others it is beaten. Both share the banana leaf and the red achiote recado.

What do strained tamales taste like?

They taste soft, slightly sweet and very aromatic from the achiote. The texture is the most striking thing: it melts on the palate like savoury flan. The red recado adds earthy notes and a slightly spicy base; the chicken cooked in bitter orange and Yucatecan oregano gives acidity and depth. The banana leaf perfumes everything with a mild smoky aroma characteristic of south-eastern Mexico.

How are strained tamales served?

They are served hot, one or two per person, open on the banana leaf so the orange colour and the creaminess can be appreciated. They are accompanied by strained black beans, habanero chilli salsa (chiltomate or ixnipek), pickled red onion and warm tortillas. At a Yucatecan breakfast they are the perfect partner to coffee and are served before or instead of huevos motulenos.