OAXACAN STYLE MOLE TAMALES Ingredients Seasoning ingredients for pork stock 1 1/4 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes. Salt to taste 2 pounds prepared masa for tamales or 3 1/2 cups masa harina for tamales 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 cups lard (3/4 pound) softened 24 banana leaves, fresh or frozen (see hints) 4 cups mole negro 1 package cornhusks, soaked in hot water for 1/2 hour Method In a heavy 6-quart stockpot, bring 3 quarts of water and the seasoning ingredients to a boil following the instructions in the recipe. Once boiling, add the pork and return to a boil. Skim off the foam that appears on the surface and discard. Lower the heat, cover, and cook the meat 1 hour or until tender. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Reduce the stock by simmering, uncovered, for 10 minutes more. Remove the pot from the heat and strain the broth to remove the vegetables. Reserve the stock. If you are using prepared masa, break up the masa in a large bowl. If using masa harina, put it in a mixing bowl and add 2 1/4 cups warm water. Mix well and allow the dough to rest 15 minutes. Add the baking powder to either masa and mix well. Taste for salt and add more if necessary. You should be able to taste the salt, but it should not be salty. Whip the masa well until light, about 20 minutes. Cut the banana leaves into 12-inch pieces and parboil in 1 quart of water until soft, about 15 minutes. Cool and drain the leaves; blot dry with a cloth. Heat the mole and add more pork stock if necessary to make a sauce thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, no more. Let cool. Shred the cooked pork. Shred 5 of the cornhusks into strips and tie the strips together in pairs. Place a single banana leaf on a tray. Place 3 level tablespoons of masa on the center of the leaf. Place a sheet of plastic (a plastic bag cut in half works best) on top of the mass of dough. Distend the masa to almost cover the whole leaf, leaving about a 1-inch margin on all sides. Remove the plastic wrap and set aside for the next tamal. In the center, place 1 tablespoon shredded pork and 3 level spoonfuls of mole. Fold the top edge of the banana leaf down the bottom edge up to form thirds; then fold in the sides, one by one, to make a small (or large) package. Tie with the cornhusk ties to secure. Repeat with the remaining banana leaves. Fill a tamalera or steamer with salted water up to the level of the rack. Place the rack in the pot and cover the rack with the extra cornhusks for flavor. Place the tamales on rack and steam for 1 hour or until masa falls away from the banana leaf when opened. Hints: You can reheat the tamales the next day on a comal or griddle by grilling them in their 'wrappers', covered with a lid or steaming them, in a steamer. I prefer the slight charring of the leaves on the griddle, giving them an added smoky flavor. In looking for banana leaves, try to get Thai leaves in the Asian markets that are frozen. I find the Filipino variety to be thick and tend to crack a lot. When you use the frozen leaves, allow them to defrost in their packages then boil according to directions. Susana Trilling Excerpted from "Seasons of My Heart, A Culinary Journey Through Oaxaca, Mexico" (Ballantine Books, November 1999, ISBN 0-345-42596-0)

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