Description

There are countless variations of tamales, and that goes for vegan tamales. Some are filled with squash, beans, tomatoes, and peppers to reflect the ancient milpa agricultural system in which those ingredients are grown together. Other vegan fillings include zucchini and tomatoes, beans and hoja santa herb, and rajas (roasted peppers) with mushrooms and cheese.

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Confit the garlic: In a small saucepan on medium-low heat, heat 1/4 cup grapeseed oil. Add half of the peeled garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cloves of garlic turn light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and allow garlic to cool.
3. Stem and deseed the guajillo chiles. Hold the end of a chile with one hand, use a very sharp knife, and cut off the stem and calyx (the part that connects the stem to the chile). Pour out any remaining seeds. Set aside.
4. In another pan on medium-high heat, toast the dried peppers on each side until the skin darkens and their fragrance is released, about 1 1/2 minutes. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan.
5. Remove and add the chiles to a blender. Set aside.
6. Toast the coriander, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and cloves in the same pan over medium heat until they release their fragrance, about 30 to 45 seconds. Remove spices from heat immediately and set aside in a small bowl to cool.
7. Add hot water, vinegar, and salt to the toasted chiles in the blender. This is an acidic saline solution that will soften the peppers. Cover with the lid and allow to steep until the chiles are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Once the peppers are soft, add the toasted spices, the remaining garlic cloves, and the chopped onion, and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the garlic confit (the garlic and the oil it cooked in) and continue to blend to create a smooth, emulsified base.
9. Pour half of the sauce and the mushrooms into a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the filling to cool before using. If not using right away, store filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
10. Add the other half of the sauce to a saucepan and simmer over low heat for an additional 10 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, so it does not stick to the bottom. The longer the sauce cooks, the more fully developed the flavors will be. If not using right away, store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.