Why would you need these, anyway? There are cases wherein you just microwave a store-bought tamale then throw it on the plate. But, in cases wherein you like to impress others, few other approaches could be considered.

You might consider banana leaves or corn husk in serving tamales which are employed during the cooking process. These are durable and could be reused with little to no effort. Or, just grab a batch of clean and non-steamed leaves or husks to be used as plating.

Planning for something with a sense of the exotic? If yes then simply serve tamales on a husk or leaf rather than placing them between the plate and the food.

Yes, you’ve heard it right! You can serve tamales without the need of a plate. It will wow your guests at the same time will save you time on cleaning up.

A set of small bowls might also be needed if you will serve the tamales with some kind of sauce. A bowl like the size of a teacup might already suffice.

It wouldn’t be unusual if you serve tamales without any sauce. Traditionally, the tamale is a peasant dish. But, sauces might offer a chance of adding a twist to the said dish. So, some of the most common options are as follow:

It might not be needed that you cook tamales with fillings but it doesn’t allow you to spice things up as well. Once planning to consider a filling, chicken or shredded pork are two of the best and common options.

If you plan to go with the pork then buy a pork butt and cook it in the style of a traditional American pulled pork. Reheat pulled pork to retain the moist, juicy quality of it. On the other hand, beef is a less common choice.

Cheese or spinach are great choices too if you want the tamales to be meatless.

And also, you will definitely need side dishes if you want to know how to serve tamales the right way. Tamales are served with one of four side dishes in the traditional versions in Mexico. And rice is the popular option.

If you go a lot farther, on the North of Mexico specifically, you might consider serving tamales with beans. Refried beans might be an excellent choice leading to a more authentic experience. Freezing beans help them remain healthy, safe, and delicious.

Those are the things that you might need and you must be prepared with in order for you to perfectly serve tamales to your beloved guests.

Of course! You need to cook the tamales first. They are very simple to make. Simply open up the husk or lay out the banana leaf. Then, spread the masa dough around the inside of the leaf or husk.

For filling, you might put it on top of the masa in a small spoonful or two. After that, wrap everything and throw them in the steamer for about an hour or two. Here are some recommendations on which steamer is suitable for your recipes.

Be wary of the fact that the water must not boil or keep a tea kettle nearby to replace the water that might evaporate once steaming. You should not let the water touch the tamales.

One of the easiest ways to check the doneness of the tamales is to take up the edge of it and try to pull the wrap away from the masa dough.

Since banana leaves or corn husks are very durable, worry not so long as you ensure that the steamer doesn’t run out of water.

Once the wrap comes away cleanly, this means that the tamales are done. But if not, just simply cook them a little longer.

Indeed, it’s not safe that you serve the tamales directly from the steamer because of the heat. Just remove the tamales, the wrap and all from the steamer and put them on a plate or a rack. Once worried about dryness, a rack is not recommended.

Take note as well that tamales don’t need to cook for a long period of time. It might only take 5 minutes to cool tamales. And if it exceeds that time, tamales might begin to dry out, so try serving them the soonest as possible. Reheat it if necessary to remain healthy and delicious.