Ignore the fact that this is a vegetarian recipe. I just needed to get you the
basic recipe for making cornbread tamales. In the South, as African Americans
started selling hot tamales in the 20's and 30's, and didn't have access to
traditional masa, cornbread started to be substituted. These are actually
quite good.

Vegetarian Tamales

Makes 18 tamales

Ingredients:

For the Cornbread
2 cups yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup of milk
2 eggs beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pickled jalapeno, chopped, or fresh jalapeno

Plus, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and two chopped
jalapenos to prepared masa

Or, two packets cornbread mix prepared per package instructions

To yield: 6 cups of finely crumbled cornbread, processed in a food processor

For the Filling:

Fantastic brand soy taco filling (4.4 ounce package) prepared per package
instructions, or your favorite brand, to make 2 cups of filling


Instructions for the Cornbread Masa:

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease a 9" x 13" cake pan. Combine the dry
ingredients in a bowl. Add the milk, eggs, and oil and stir, mixing thoroughly.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove and allow to cool.

Crumble the cornbread mixture and add to a food processor. Process for 30
seconds, pulsing or processing as needed. The consistency will be that of
cornmeal.

Put the processed cornbread in a mixing bowl and add 1/2 to 1 cup of water
(start with 1/2 and add more as needed), 1 teaspoon of salt,1/2 teaspoon black
pepper, and two chopped jalapenos. Mix with your fingers until a cornmeal masa
is formed. The masa should be moldable, so that you can shape it around the
filling but not mushy. The masa will reduce down to 4 cups.

Prepare the tamales by spreading 2 tablespoons of prepared masa on a 5" x 5"
piece of waxed paper or parchment paper. Fill with 1 tablespoon of prepared
filling mixture and roll.

Steam in a tamale steamer or other pot designed for steaming, for one hour.