How to wrap tamales by Cool Chile
Step 1:
Spread the tamale dough to the side edges of the corn husk in a rectangular shape, leaving at least 1 cm edges on both sides. You might need a bowl of cold water to dip your spatula into or you can use you hands dipped into the cold water. The aim is to get a smooth rectangle so that the filling can be placed vertically down the middle. Do not spread the dough to the point of the husk, your rectangle should be about 9 x 8cm. If your husk is small, you can overlap two husks, this makes for trickier wrapping but you soon get the hang of it. Take 1 tbsp (6-8g) of your chosen filling and apply it, in a line, down the middle of the rectangle (unless you are doing pineapple & raisin filing, this should be mixed into the dough).
Step 2:
Pick up the husk and touch the two outer edges of the dough together, the idea is to roll it so that the dough encloses the filling and you get the filling running through the length of the dough.
Step 3:
Roll the dough back and forth, then tuck one edge of the husk under the other and roll so it looks like a cigar with a point at one end.
Step 4:
Take the un-filled pointed end and fold upwards, almost in half. Tap the tamal on it’s base to settle and rip another corn husk into 1.5cm strips to use to tie tamal.
Step 5:
Place upright in the steamer, you will see the dough inside when you peer down. Make the rest, placing the tamales in such a way so they support each other and are all facing upwards.