Mucbil pollo
Traditionally, Mucbil Pollo consists of oversized, baked tamales that are made with chicken, sometimes stewed pork and black beans, flavored with achiote & spices, wrapped in corn dough (masa) and banana leaves, then roasted in an underground pit.
YIELDS
5
TO
6
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 Cornish hens (butterflied)
- 2 dry Guajillo chiles
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 spoon of Achiote paste
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- 20 g kosher salt
- 5 banana leaves
Baking Dough (Tamal)
- 1 kg corn masa
- 100 g shortening
- 10 g dry Epazote or 10 gr chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Filling
- In a saucepan, boil two cups of water to hydrate the dry Guajillo chiles.
- In a blender add the hydrated Guajillos chiles, garlic, Axiote paste, tomatoes, salt, and 100 millimeters of water and mix until combined.
- Place the Cornish hens in a bowl and add blended liquid, let marinate for four hours.
Baking Dough (Tamal)
- In a mixing bowl, mix together corn masa, shortening, and dry epazote or chopped cilantro until incorporated and leave to rest.
Mucbil Pollo
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Take the banana leaves and heat them on a gas stove one by one by passing them on top of the fire - this will help make them flexible and easier to work with.
- Cut the leaves into rectangles of 10 centimeters by 20 centimeters. Place three to four leaves on the inside of a one-inch deep cake pan, ensuring there’s no space between leaves.
- On top of the leaves, spread approx. 150 grams of the masa in the middle of the cake pan.
- Place the chicken on top of the masa. Close the leaves by folding them in corners one by one to form a hexagon shape. Secure the leaves together by tying butcher swine like a present. Repeat steps two to five until all ingredients are finished (approx. four servings).
- Place a small oven-proof container on the bottom shelf of the oven to create steam.
- Place completed Mucbil Pollos in the oven for 60 minutes.
- Heat the remaining chicken marinade in a saucepan and bring to a simmer for two minutes.
- Serve sauce in a side bowl.
- Remove Mucbil Pollos from the oven, serve and enjoy!
