Guajolota (Torta de tamal)
Photo: Ukaizen · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

The guajolota is a Mexico City invention from the late 19th century, born of the city's tamalero street trade. The name comes from the Nahuatl guajolote (turkey), a joke about fattening up the eater. By the early 20th century, the format had become the canonical pre-work breakfast for working-class Chilangos; tamaleros set up at metro exits and bus stops by 5am every weekday. The most common fillings are rajas con queso, mole negro, salsa verde con pollo, and dulce de fresa for the sweet version. Costs 20 to 30 pesos at street level; the format is unique to Mexico City and considered insane by the rest of Mexico.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-on 45 minTotal 2 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • For the tamales: 500g masa harina (nixtamalised corn flour)
  • 350ml warm chicken stock
  • 200g lard or vegetable shortening
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 30 dried corn husks soaked 30 minutes
  • For the filling: 300g cooked shredded chicken
  • 300ml salsa verde or red mole
  • 100g Oaxaca cheese (for rajas con queso version, mix with 2 charred poblanos sliced)
  • For assembly: 6 fresh bolillos or teleras (soft white sandwich rolls)
  • 2 limes quartered
  • 2 chillies serranos sliced (optional)

Method

  1. Beat the lard in a bowl with the salt and baking powder until light, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the masa harina and warm stock alternately, beating constantly, until you have a soft, fluffy dough that drops easily from a spoon.
  3. Test: a small ball dropped in cold water should float; if it sinks, beat the dough another 2 minutes.
  4. Drain the corn husks. Spread 3 tbsp dough on the smooth side of a husk in a 10x8cm rectangle.
  5. Put 2 tbsp shredded chicken with salsa verde in the centre (or 2 tbsp poblano rajas with cheese for vegetarian).
  6. Fold the sides of the husk over to enclose the filling. Fold the bottom up. Stand the tamal upright in a steamer basket.
  7. Steam for 75 minutes over a constant simmer. The tamal is done when the dough pulls cleanly from the husk.
  8. To assemble the guajolota: slice each bolillo lengthwise without cutting through. Unwrap a tamal and slip it whole into the bread.
  9. Serve immediately with lime and sliced serrano. The traditional Mexico City form is whole tamal-in-bread, NOT chopped.

Tip from the editors. Use a soft bolillo not a baguette; the bread should absorb a little of the tamal's moisture but not collapse. Day-old bolillos slice cleaner than fresh ones.

Where to eat guajolota (torta de tamal)

Guajolota (Torta de tamal) in Mexico City

Tamales Dona Emi ★ 4.2

$ MexicanRoma Norte

Tamales Dona Emi in Mexico City is the Roma Norte morning corner cart where a guajolota (tamal in a torta) with atole de fresa runs about 35 pesos.

TryGuajolota with atole

Directions

Mercado de San Juan ★ 4.6

$ MarketCentro Historico

Mercado de San Juan in Mexico City is the gourmet specialty market on Ernesto Pugibet in Centro Historico, the city's only such market with exotic meats.

Directions

Mercado Roma ★ 4.3

$ MarketRoma Norte

Mercado Roma in Mexico City is the Roma Norte gourmet food hall on Queretaro, a three-floor market with 50-plus vendors covering Mexican, Italian, Venezuelan.

Directions

Mercado Medellin ★ 4.3

$ MarketRoma Norte

Mercado Medellin in Mexico City is the Roma Sur Latin American import market on Campeche, the pan-Latin grocery hall with Cuban, Colombian and Argentine.

Directions

Mercado de Coyoacan ★ 4.5

$ MarketCoyoacan

Mercado de Coyoacan in Mexico City is the southern neighbourhood market on Ignacio Allende near the Frida Kahlo Museum, a 350-vendor traditional market.

Directions

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