Mark Thorson wrote:
> I had been assuming that if I make a tamale dough,
> I'd have to use a saturated fat like lard or Crisco.
> I've eaten a few of the Trader Joe's tamales, and
> today I looked at the ingrediants to see what fat
> they used.
>
> I didn't see any fat listed. They do have
> carragenan, and I suppose that may be what holds
> the dough together.
>
> What exactly is the role of lard in a tamale dough?
> Does it help hold the dough together? Is it for
> texture?

It's for richness and texture, yes. It can be left out, but I don't like
the result. I'd use oil, if saturated fat is an issue.

(Masa, like polenta, firms up just fine on its own. It doesn't need help
from lard.)

Serene

--
"I tend to come down on the side of autonomy. Once people are grown up,
I believe they have the right to go to hell in the handbasket of their
choosing." -- Pat Kight, on alt.polyamory