Beef Tamales Recipe (Mexican Beef)

Ingredients
1.  corn husks (3 pkgs. about 8oz.)

Filling
1. Beef stew meat cut into ¼ inch pieces (2pounds)
2. chilli powder ( 4 tbsp)
3. diced onion (1c)
4. water (1/2c)
5. 9. garlic cloves (4)
6. salt (to taste)
7.  pepper (to taste)
8. vegetable shortening or lard (3tbsp)
9. ground cumin (1tsp)

Tamale Dough
1. Butter (1tbs)
2. flour (1/2c)
3. cold water (1c)
4. yellow stone ground corn meal (1c)
5. boiling water (3c)
6. salt (1tsp.)

Method of preparation:-
1. For 30 minutes, soak corn husks in water. For filling take a  skillet, add lard or shortening, cook onions, garlic and beef until it is well done.  Make a fine meat mixture by crushing it.

2.  Now add salt,  pepper, chili powder and cumin. Then add water and boil it for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep it aside.

3.  To make Tamale dough,  mix corn meal, flour with salt, butter  and water. Add 3 cups boiling water and cook it till it becomes thick.

4. Spread corn meal over corn husk. In the center place meat filling, carefully roll the tusk and fasten it with a string. Repeat this process till all the ingredients have been used.

5. In a steamer basket stand the tamales with open ends up. Cover it with the help of a clean dishtowel or other clean cloth. Bring the steamer to boil by pouring two inches of water in the bottom. The water should not touch the bottom of steamer basket.

6. Steam it approximately for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. After that peel away the husks.