Pumpkin Pie Tamales with IMUSA

 With only two weeks until Thanksgiving, you know what that means… the ongoing trend of pumpkin flavored everything will not be slowing down anytime soon! From coffee to doughnuts to even pumpkin raviolis ‘tis the season for this large orange fruit. IMUSA, leader in Hispanic cookware, is even jumping on the trend with a recipe for “Pumpkin-Pie” Tamales. This recipe takes the traditional Mexican Masa tamales and adds all of fall season’s favorite ingredients like ginger, nutmeg, raisins and pumpkin (of course), leaving this sweet side dish a sure favorite with anyone who gets their hands on one.

Ingredients:

• 40 to 60 dried corn husks
• 7 cups maseca corn flour
• 3 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 29-ounce cans of pumpkin puree
• 4 sticks of butter, melted
• 2 cups of warm milk
• 2 cups of walnuts, chopped
• 12 ounces of raisins

Preparation:

1. Fill a large bowl with warm water and soak corn husks until softened, about 30 minutes.
2. In an extra-large bowl add Maseca corn flour and the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix together making sure that all of the clumps are broken up with your fingers. Then add all of the wet ingredients and once again, use your hands to mix the corn flour. Add more water as needed until you achieve the consistency of peanut butter. Fold in the walnuts and raisins.
3. Assemble the tamales by using a rubber spatula to spread 1⁄2 cup to 1 cup of dough mixture onto the corn husk, depending on the size of the corn husk. The spread should cover about two thirds of the husk, away from the pointed end, making sure you leave some space on each side to fold. Gently fold one side of the corn husk to the other end and fold up the pointed end across. Lay each tamale fold-side down. There should be an open end to each tamale.
4. Once the tamales are folded, fill the IMUSA TAMALE STEAMER with water just below the fill line and place the steam tray on the rack. Carefully place each tamale standing up on the steam tray without overloading it and bring water to a simmer. Steam with the lid on for 90 minutes.
5. Remove each tamale with tongs and let rest for a few minutes before serving it as a sweet side-dish. MAKES 40-60 TAMALES.

Steam big with the IMUSA Tamale and Seafood Steamer from the GlobalKitchen Mexico product line. This aluminum vessel with steamer insert adds a new twist to cookware staples. Users can steam up anything and everything from seafood and vegetables to even tamales—this essential multi-use durable pot has the extra capacity to prepare a host of classic recipes. Available at Target.com for $29.99.