Vaporcitos: what they are, origin and recipe

What is it?

Vaporcitos are the everyday tamales par excellence of Yucatan: small, flat, rectangular pieces of maize dough dyed with achiote and filled with chicken or pork. Their name refers precisely to the steaming in a pot with a rack, and it sets them apart from the mucbipollo or strained tamales by their compact size and their firm, slightly drier dough. They are sold by the dozen in markets, from mobile tricycles and in tortillerias of Merida, Valladolid or Ticul, where they are breakfast for labourers, students and office workers. Accompanied by tomato and habanero chilli, vaporcitos represent the street soul of contemporary Yucatecan cooking.

Origin and history

Vaporcitos descend directly from the pre-Hispanic Maya tamale wrapped in banana leaf, one of the oldest preparations of Mesoamerica. POSTA Mexico explains that their current version became established during the 20th century in the popular trade of Merida and the henequen towns, when cooks sought a small piece, easy to carry and quick to sell. La Chispa de Yucatan documents how vaporcitos became an obligatory item of the Yucatecan breakfast alongside chocolomo, huevos motulenos and cochinita. Unlike the mucbipollo, which is ritual, the vaporcito is everyday food and is cooked daily by families who sell it from their homes. Cocineo adds that the name vaporcito began to be used in the 20th century to distinguish them from the baked and underground tamales of Maya ceremonial cooking.

Characteristic ingredients

Vaporcito dough is made with nixtamalised maize, pork lard, salt and a touch of red achiote recado dissolved in water. It is worked to a firm consistency, slightly drier than tortilla dough. The traditional filling is chicken or pork stewed with tomato, white onion, sweet pepper, garlic, Yucatecan oregano and a little achiote oil. To assemble them, a previously grilled banana leaf is taken, a thin layer of dough is spread into a rectangle, the filling is placed in the centre and the leaf is folded over itself to seal the flat parcel. They are arranged in the steamer and cooked for about 45 minutes. The texture is dense but soft, with a distinctive orange colour from the achiote and a smoky aroma from the banana leaf.

Cultural significance

The vaporcito is the democratic tamale of Yucatan: cheap, quick and available on every corner. It has been part of the urban landscape of Merida since the first half of the 20th century and has remained one of the most representative breakfasts of the state. La Chispa de Yucatan describes them as a tradition that survives because anyone can learn to make them and because they allow rural families to generate income by selling them by the dozen. POSTA Mexico notes that gastronomic fairs such as the Feria del Tamal de Mani and the Expo Gastronomica de Merida reclaim them as Yucatecan heritage. For many people of Merida, the vaporcito with its two habanero chillies and a black coffee is the breakfast they grew up with. Their intensive production supports family economies and markets such as Lucas de Galvez in Merida or Santa Ana, where vaporcitos are sold wrapped in warm brown paper.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a vaporcito and a strained tamale?

The vaporcito has firm, thick, slightly dry dough, while the strained tamale has liquid, creamy dough, almost the texture of flan. Both are Yucatecan, both contain achiote and are wrapped in banana leaf, but the technique is opposite: the vaporcito is moulded and steamed; the strained one is diluted, sieved and cooked with stirring before being wrapped.

What do vaporcitos taste like?

They taste of nixtamalised maize, achiote and meat lightly stewed with tomato. The achiote adds an earthy base and a sweetish touch, while the lard gives richness. The banana leaf perfumes with a slightly smoky and herbaceous aroma. The whole is more subtle and less spicy than a tamale from central Mexico, with a distinctive Mediterranean-Maya profile.

Where do vaporcitos come from?

They come from the Yucatan Peninsula, above all from the state of Yucatan, where they are daily street food in Merida, Valladolid, Tizimin and Ticul. They are also found in Campeche and parts of Quintana Roo, although there they may have other names. They descend from the pre-Hispanic Maya tamale wrapped in banana leaf and became established as vaporcitos during the 20th century.

How are vaporcitos served?

They are served hot, two to four per person, on the open banana leaf. They are accompanied by a whole habanero chilli or ixnipek salsa (red onion, tomato, coriander, bitter orange and chopped habanero), a drizzle of achiote oil and warm tortillas. At breakfast they are taken with black coffee or Yucatecan chocolate. At parties they usually appear as an appetiser before the cochinita or escabeche oriental.