Aly Utrera is a chef, TV presenter and food content creator.
She specialises in creating the traditional flavours of Latin America, using ingredients available in Australia.
Today, Aly is making hallacas. Hallacas are traditional Venezuelan tamales which are often had at Christmas time
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Recipe below:
HALLACAS
Hallacas are the traditional Venezuelan tamales. It’s a delicious and unique thin layer of corn dough stuffed with a meat filling made with beef, pork, and chicken and topped with several ingredients, such as onion rings, capsicums, raisins, olives and bacon, Then wrap in plantain leaves, tie, and boil.
This dish is traditionally served during the Christmas season, and it can vary depending on the region and family traditions.
I have learned from my mom, who has been making hallacas for more than 20 years.
Hallacas – Ingredients
Filling – Guiso
2 kilos of beef sirloin steak (cut into pieces)
2 kilos of pork shoulder (cut into pieces)
2 kilos chicken breast ( cut into pieces)
1 kilo of bacon (cut into pieces)
4 Onions chopped
3 capsicums chopped
15 garlic cloves crushed
1 cup of stuffed green olives
½ cup of capers
½ cup of raisins
½ cup of oil
½ cup of annatto seeds
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sugar cane
Dough Ingredients
1 kilo of Harina Pan (Precook white corn meal)
1 litre of stock
2 Cups annatto oil
Garnish Ingredients
Onion (cut into rings)
Capsicum sliced
Olives
Capers
Raisins
Cooked chicken breast (cut into strips)
Bacon (cut into pieces)
Wrapping Ingredients
4 Packs of banana leaves (500gr each )
Cooking String.
Method
1-Clean the banana leaves.
2-Remove the center stem from the leaves, to make the folding process easier. When cutting the stem with scissors, be careful not to break them.
3-Divide the leaves into three types:
The main one (the biggest one) which is where you have to place the dough and hallaca filling, approximately 30 x 30 cm squares.
The second leaf (smaller than the main one) that covers, encloses and protects the hallaca while it is cooking. approximately 25 x 20 cm rectangles.
The third that hold in the hallacas, and all those previous leaves, together right before it is tied up with the cooking twine. approximately 25 x 10 cm rectangles.
Important: Please, keep in mind that the measurements of the leaves are approximate, so you have an idea of how to cut them, but they do not have to be exactly those measures.
Annato Oil
1-Add oil to a medium saucepan at medium heat. When the oil is hot, add annatto seeds. Let annatto seeds tender their colour for 3-4 minutes. Don’t let the oil boil, or the Annato oil will the bitter. Remove from the stove and let cool.
2-Once it’s cool strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a large container.
3- Reserve for later use.
Filling
1-Add water into a large pot, add salt, 1 onion cut in to pieces, 4 garlic cloves, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2-When boiling, add the beef and pork; cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, add the chicken breast and cook for 20 more minutes. Then turn off the heat.
3-Remove the meats from the broth and place them on a large plate to cool down. Reserve the broth.
4-Let the meat cool enough to handle. Then cut the beef, pork, and chicken breasts ( reserve 2 chicken breasts, because it will be used as a topping) into small pieces.
5-When the broth is cool, strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Reserve ALL the broth and discard the veggies.
6-Using a food processor blend first the rest of garlic (reserve)
7- Them blend onions and capsicums.
8- Add 1 cup of annatto oil to a large pot. When hot, add the blended garlic and cook for 3 minutes; make sure the oil is not too hot that it is going to toast the garlic, stir constantly. Then add onion and capsicum, continue cooking for 4 minutes. Mix to combine and cook until fragrant and soft.
9- Add the cut meats and enough broth to cover the meats.
10-Add Olives, capers, raisins, soy sauce, sugar cane and salt to your taste.
11- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When boiling, reduce heat to medium-low.
12- In a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup Harina P.A.N. with a ½ of broth, mix vigorously to prevent lumps from forming.
13- Add the mixture to the meats. You need to add the mixture and mix vigorously at the same time to prevent lumps from forming. Taste and add more salt if needed. Let the filling to cook for 5 – more minutes. The filling must be thick, not runny, so if needed, you can repeat the process (dissolve more Harina P.A.N in broth and add it to the filling to thicken)
14-Turn off the heat and let the filling to cool.
Dough – Masa
1-In a large mixing bowl add 4 litters of broth into a large mixing bowl, mix in 2 cups of annatto oil; slowly add the Harina P.A.N
( Precook corn meal) mix with your hands, making circular movements and breaking with your fingers the lumps that may form. Continue mixing until all the oil has been incorporated. Taste and add more salt if needed. If the dough is too pale, you can add more annatto oil to add more colour.
Let it rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
Important: This dough should have a smooth texture since you will spread it onto the banana leaf. If it is too soft, add a little more corn meal, if too thick, add a little more broth.
Assemble Hallacas
1-Make little balls of dough ( Approximately 130g)
2-Place one of the main banana leaves over a flat surface.
3-Spread, in the middle of the leaf, ½ tsp of annatto oil and place 1 ball of dough, spread dough with your hands.
4-Add, in the middle of the spread dough, 1/3 cup of meat filling.
5-Then start adding the toppings
6-1 ring of onion, one strip of capsicum, 2 green olives, 2 capers, 2 raisins, one chicken breast strip, bacon.
Close the hallacas:
1-Take the top and bottom edges of the leaf and attach them upward, making sure the top and bottom edges of the dough join together. Then create a fold until it is completely sealed. Fold the other two ends towards the inside.
2-And then, place the fold perpendicularly on the second sheet and wrap it. Fold the ends towards the inside.
3-Finally, wrap around the fold the third leaf, just to help everything together.
4-Tie the hallacas with cooking string. Cross them three times in each direction (horizontal and vertical) and close with a knot or bow, almost as you would with a gift.
Cook Hallacas
1-Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
2-When the water is boiling, add as many hallacas as you can fit, they must all be completely submerged in the water. Cook for approximately 40 – 45 minutes.
3-Remove and drain them, preferably in the vertical position. I like to place them side by side in the sink.
4-Repeat the process with the other hallacas.
5-Let them cool completely before refrigerating.