Chipilín tamales: the Chiapaneco delicacy of a pre-Hispanic quelite

What is it?

Chipilín tamales are one of the gastronomic emblems of Chiapas and also extend to Tabasco, Guatemala and parts of Oaxaca. Their hallmark is chipilín (Crotalaria longirostrata), a leguminous quelite with small, intensely green leaves that is added directly to the maize masa. They are usually filled with chicken, queso fresco or dried prawns, wrapped in banana or maize leaves depending on the region, and steamed. They are common at Chiapaneco breakfasts, December posadas and on the menu of traditional fondas. Their herbaceous, slightly earthy and sweet flavour distinguishes them from any other Mexican tamale and makes them a direct bridge with the Mesoamerican cuisine of maize and quelites.

Origin and history

Chipilín has been eaten in Mesoamerica since pre-Hispanic times, documented in codices and in colonial accounts as one of the quelites of the indigenous diet of Chiapas and the Maya area. El Heraldo de Chiapas describes how the Zoque, Tzotzil and Tzeltal peoples cultivated it in milpas and family gardens, using its leaves as a daily vegetable. The fusion with maize masa to make tamales is very ancient: Bernardino de Sahagún already mentions herb tamales in his sixteenth-century chronicles. Directo al Paladar México and Excélsior agree that the modern Chiapaneca version consolidated as a family recipe for posadas and end-of-year celebrations, where a single batch feeds thirty people. Consumption has remained constant in Chiapas and has migrated to Mexico City with the Chiapaneca diaspora.

Characteristic ingredients

Fresh chipilín provides the distinctive flavour: its small, tender leaves have a herbal profile with notes of green tea, spinach and a pleasant slight bitterness. They are separated from the stem and incorporated raw into the maize masa, which is beaten with lard, salt and chicken broth until fluffy. The filling varies by region: in Chiapas queso fresco or Chiapaneco cheese with tomato predominates, in Tabasco dried prawns are common, and in Guatemala chicken is usually added. They are wrapped in banana leaves (typical of Chiapas and Tabasco) or in maize leaves when the chipilín is mixed with tender sweetcorn. The steaming takes approximately one hour. When fresh chipilín cannot be found, abroad it is replaced with dried or frozen leaves, although some aroma is lost.

Cultural significance

The chipilín tamale is one of the pillars of Chiapaneca gastronomic identity and forms part of the intangible heritage of the Maya peoples of the south-east. It is eaten daily for breakfast served with queso fresco and crema, but it is also a star at December posadas, gastronomic fairs and patron-saint festivals. Quadratín and El Heraldo de Chiapas describe it as a fundamental piece for understanding the cuisine of the quelite, a strand of Mexican cooking that UNESCO recognised in 2010 when inscribing traditional Mexican gastronomy as Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Chipilín has also gained relevance as a sustainable backyard crop, since it is a legume that fixes nitrogen and improves the soil. Today, Mexican chefs such as Elena Reygadas, Jorge Vallejo and Edgar Núñez have taken it to haute cuisine, revaluing its role in living pre-Hispanic cooking.

Frequently asked questions

What is chipilín?

Chipilín is a leguminous quelite (Crotalaria longirostrata) native to Mesoamerica. It is a plant with small green leaves that grows wild and is also cultivated in Chiapas, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Guatemala and El Salvador. It is considered a quelite because its tender leaves are edible and have been used as a vegetable since pre-Hispanic times in soups, tamales, rices and traditional atoles of the south-east.

What do chipilín tamales taste like?

They taste of fresh herb with notes reminiscent of green tea, spinach and a touch of avocado leaf. Chipilín provides a very pleasant slight herbal bitterness that balances with the maize masa, the lard and the queso fresco. If the filling is dried prawn, it gains a marine touch. The overall result is light, fragrant and completely different from a mole or rajas tamale.

Where do chipilín tamales originate?

They originate from Chiapas, where they have the status of a state emblem dish. They are also traditional in Tabasco, parts of Oaxaca and Guatemala, where they go by the same name. The Zoque, Tzotzil and Tzeltal communities have been preparing them for centuries. Today they are mainly associated with Chiapaneca cooking, although the diaspora has taken them to Mexico City and the United States.

How are chipilín tamales served?

They are served hot, two per person, opened on the banana or maize leaf that wraps them. The classic Chiapaneca form accompanies them with thick crema, crumbled queso fresco and sometimes a light tomato salsa. For breakfast they are taken with café de olla or atole of chipilín. At posadas they are served before the main dish as a hot, festive starter.