Typical Tico Foods
When you think "typical" food here in Costa Rica, casados will probably come to mind first, but there are others. We were invited to a Tico home to try some authentic food. To my surprise not a casado in sight! We were served tamales, fresh cheese and empanadas.
The tamales were a corn dough stuffed with beans and cooked inside of a banana leaf. They are usually made fresh and served for special occasions and can be filled with various fillings. Spiced meats like beef, pork and chicken are quite often used.
The fresh cheese was soft both in texture and taste. Marinated vegetables were also served on the side. Empanadas are basically a stuffed pastry and can be used both as a dessert (as ours was) or as a main course. When used as a dessert fruit fillings are used. These were filled with Chiverre fruit. This fruit is a large green and white striped fruit which resembles a squash and is a member of the pumpkin family. It had a slight fig or date taste to it and a coconut-like texture.
The tamales were a corn dough stuffed with beans and cooked inside of a banana leaf. They are usually made fresh and served for special occasions and can be filled with various fillings. Spiced meats like beef, pork and chicken are quite often used.
The fresh cheese was soft both in texture and taste. Marinated vegetables were also served on the side. Empanadas are basically a stuffed pastry and can be used both as a dessert (as ours was) or as a main course. When used as a dessert fruit fillings are used. These were filled with Chiverre fruit. This fruit is a large green and white striped fruit which resembles a squash and is a member of the pumpkin family. It had a slight fig or date taste to it and a coconut-like texture.
Tamales and Empanadas
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If you are adventurous and demand complete authenticity, you must start from raw corn ground for tamales (3 lbs, 1.4 kg Maiz cascado, malidocrudo). Soak the flour in water then rinse it well, cook with a tablespoon of achiote, and a little of the garlic and peppers in salted water to just cover until tender then stand overnight. The next day, knead it into dough. You should probably have a demonstration first if you're going to try this method. For first timers we'd suggest the Masaversion described below.
Chop the meat into large (2", 5 cm) chunks then brown on high heat in the 1/2 cup lard or vegetable oil. Add the chopped garlic, peppers, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt for the last minute or twoof browning, then cover with water and simmer until very tender (2-3 hours). Remove the meat from the broth and reserve the broth. When the meat is cool, shred it finely. While the meat is simmering prepare the potatoes and rice.
Peel the potatoes and boil with salt, cilantro, and oregano to taste until soft. Cool and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes.
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Costa Rican Tamale Recipe
- 2 lbs instant corn masa mix
- 3 lbs (1.4 kg) pork shoulder roast -or- beef roast -or- boneless chicken
- 1/4 lb (110 gr) pork lard (or vegetable shortening)
- 1 cup (240 ml) corn oil
- 1 batch (~5 cups cooked Tico style rice, see ingredient list and recipe below)
- 2-1/4 lbs (1 kg) potatoes
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 lb (225 gr) sweet or hot peppers to taste
- 1 large onion (optional)
- 2-1/4 lbs (1 kg) banana leaves (corn husks can be substituted, or if desperate aluminum foil)
- coriander leaves (cilantro), salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, achiote (annato)
If you are adventurous and demand complete authenticity, you must start from raw corn ground for tamales (3 lbs, 1.4 kg Maiz cascado, malidocrudo). Soak the flour in water then rinse it well, cook with a tablespoon of achiote, and a little of the garlic and peppers in salted water to just cover until tender then stand overnight. The next day, knead it into dough. You should probably have a demonstration first if you're going to try this method. For first timers we'd suggest the Masaversion described below.
Chop the meat into large (2", 5 cm) chunks then brown on high heat in the 1/2 cup lard or vegetable oil. Add the chopped garlic, peppers, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt for the last minute or twoof browning, then cover with water and simmer until very tender (2-3 hours). Remove the meat from the broth and reserve the broth. When the meat is cool, shred it finely. While the meat is simmering prepare the potatoes and rice.
Peel the potatoes and boil with salt, cilantro, and oregano to taste until soft. Cool and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes.
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