If you have never had a tamale then you don’t know Mexico! This is the country’s comfort food and sold on street corners everywhere. If you are visiting the Riviera Maya, listen up ‘cuz this local treat is found on highway stops, local street corners, and at holiday festivals. It is in the Riviera Maya and Yucatan that you will experience hundreds of different tamale recipes!
What is a Tamale?
A tamale is a corn dough that is wrapped around roasted meat, fish, cheese or vegetables. The ‘packet’ is cooked in either a banana leaf or corn husk, on an open fire or steamed. It will depend upon the region and the grandmother’s recipe that is passed down from generation to generation. When served, the tamale is eaten directly from the banana leaf or corn husk, with a big spoonful of red or green salsa or if you are lucky a mole sauce added on top.
Fast and Super Interesting Facts About Tamales
- Tamales are found in every region of Mexico but recipes vary. Some tamales are stuffed with seafood, others stuffed with turkey or chicken, while others are vegetarian. The sauce served with the tamale will change in each region as well.
- Tamales date back to 5000 BC.
- Pre-Columbian tamales were stuffed with frog meat, iguana meat, flamingo meat, fish or beans.
- After the Spanish invaded Mexico, tamales were brought back to Spain to prove civilizations existed in the new world.
- Tamales are served at Mexican cultural festivals specifically El Dia de Candeleria (February 2), Day of the Dead, Independence Day, and the 16 days of Posadas before Christmas.
- El Dia de Candeleria is the most famous tamale festival day. On January 6, King’s Day, whoever finds the miniature baby Jesus statue in their Kings Cake is to make tamales for their friends on Dia de Candeleria.
- There are over 500 different tamales but it is thought there are 1000’s of recipes that follow.
- Traditional tamales take four days to make – four days! Sure you can make them in one day, but they will be substandard and unacceptable to any Mexican grandmother.
- If you make tamales you need to make at least a few dozen at a time. Many families make at least a hundred when they make their tamales. This is not a recipe that can make just one or two servings.
- There are variations of tamales now made in the US. March 23 has been declared ‘National Tamale Day’ to celebrate this ancient culinary tradition.
Where Can You Get Tamales in the Riviera Maya?
Playa del Carmen – Our favorite tamales are on the corner of 30th Avenue and 38th street just to the north of the northwest corner. Look for the ladies with a big steel saucepan in front of the pharmacy.
Puerto Aventuras – Not always but most days, tamales can be found at the roadside taqueria called la Abuelita on the west side of the highway near to the entrance into this town.
Any road side stand – If you are traveling through the Riviera Maya or Yucatan, roadside stands always have tamales. In our experience these tamales are roasted on an open fire in banana leaves and are some of the best we have tasted.
Temazon – This little village north of Valladolid is famous for its smoked meat but also has great tamales.
Tamale Recipe Not Included!
Tamales are a skill, a very specific skill. Putting up a recipe would just have you scratching you head, looking everywhere for these unique ingredients and then having you curse me for even thinking tamales could be done from a printed recipe. The best way to make tamales is with a local Mexican grandmother, chef, or family. They can take you through the process first before you attempt to make these cultural gems on your own.
Check with Paulina about local cooking schools in the Riviera Maya who proudly teach the Mexican cooking to visitors.