> 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?

(piggybacking)

There is no such thing as a fat-free tamale. There must be a
labeling or reading mistake.

Fat makes the dough tasty and moist. I can't imagine a tamale
without it.

-sw