Our 10th Annual Christmas Tamale Sale was a GREAT success!
Pick-Up is December 14th between 8am-5pm
Thank you for buying tamales and supporting ¡HICA!'s programs!
 

   What is a tamale?

   A tamale, or tamal in proper singular form in Spanish, is a traditional Latin American dish made out of masa (usually corn-based dough) with a filling, typically of beef, pork, or chiles, that is steamed in a corn or plaintain leaf wrapper.

   How are tamales made?

    Tamale-making is a day long process, and thus reserved for the most special of occasions.  The dough, or la masa, is made of cornmeal and lard seasoned with cumin, onions, and chiles.  The dough is complemented by a filing which can range from savory to sweet. The most common varieties are of beef, chicken, or green chile. 

The meat must simmer for hours until extremely tender before being seasoned with garlic, chili peppers, cumin, and other spices.  Likewise, green chiles must be roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped to create the filling.  The filled dough is then carefully wrapped by hand in a softened corn husk that is steamed before serving. 

Fortunately, given all the labor of love that tamales require, they freeze excellently and can easily be served for future meals. 

Tamales' History in Birmingham

Bruno Mancha started selling tamales from pushcarts downtown in 1926. His oldest son then opened Mancha's Restaurant in the 1960s. The family sold Mancha's in 1998 but many Birminghamiams have memories of the their famous tamales. It brings ¡HICA! great happiness to sell authentic Mexican tamales every holiday season so Alabamians can enjoy delicious tamales while supporting the social, civic and economic integration of Alabama's Hispanic families.

Fun Facts about Tamales!

• Tamales date back to the time of the Aztecs
• Tamales can be sweet with fillings such as cinnamon and raisin or fruit
• There are around 1,000 types of tamales available all around Mexico. Every region has its own variety of tamales.
• In Mexico, tamales are often eaten during festivities, such as La Candelaria Day (February 2), Mexican Independence Day, the Day of the Dead, Las Posadas and Christmas
• A Mexican tamale called the zacahuil is three feet long and weighs about 150 pounds, as depicted to the right