Corn Husks for Tamales – 100g

Corn Husks are an absolute staple in Mexican kitchens and they have a few uses elsewhere too! First off, we should say that they are not edible – you just use them to wrap the food while it cooks. Of course, one of the main uses for these husks is for making tamales. These Mesoamerican foods are usually a corn flour dough that have a filling of meats, cheese, vegetables or fruits. After the dough is made and stuffed, the soaked Corn Husk wraps around it to hold it all together while it cooks. You would usually steam them over 45 minutes to an hour before they are ready. The husk, while adding a little flavour during cooking, is removed and disposed of before eating.

Corn Husks are also great for wrapping other foods in prior to cooking. Fish is great example! Sometimes greaseproof paper goes around the fish while cooking. but a corn husk is a more natural alternative. Plus it adds a little extra flavour! You can also use a husk as a steamer liner to stop sticking or even use them like a bay leaf. Simply add to the food while it is cooking and remove at the end before serving. If you have some corn on the cobb, wrapping them in husks while cooking helps keep the kernels juicy and tender.

Other uses

That’s pretty much all we have on the foodie side of things, but there is more some people use Corn Husks for. They are a traditional craft material, especially when making dolls, decorations and figurines. Some people weave the fibres into useful things like rope, baskets and matts. In a pinch, they make great firelighters too as they catch fire easily, thanks to being so dry (in the pack).

At The Spice Cupboard, we have Naturelo Blue Corn Flour and White Corn Flour for making the tamales, as well as all kinds of Mexican ingredients and blends.