Filipino tamales
Tamales from Mexico are typically known today as corn-husk-wrapped masa or corn dough filled with flavored meats, chilis, vegetables and/or cheese, which is then steamed to perfection. Tamales of various fillings, wrappings, and cooking methods go back as early as 250 CE.
When the Philippines was colonized by Spain between 1565 and 1898, different kinds of food items from fruits, vegetables, and recipes were brought to the Philippines from Mexico. Fruit or “fruit immigrants” included cacao, guyabano, bayabas or guava, avocado, atis, and kaimito or star apple. Vegetables included corn, achuete, cassava, tomatoes, camote, cashew, sayote, and squash. Recipes included dishes still well-known to Filipinos today: afritada, champorado, ensaymada, empanada, mechado, menudo, and more.
What isn’t as well known is that Mexican tamales were also brought over, and eventually became Filipino too.
Filipino tamales vs Mexican tamales
Mexican tamales are most known by their corn-husk-wrapped variation, filled with masa and flavored meats like chicken or pork. Filipino tamales are wrapped in banana leaves, and filled with rice dough and meats like chicken, and typically with egg.
The late Filipino food writer Doreen Fernandez said that “the Mexican corn tamal turned Filipino, becoming rice-based tamales wrapped in banana leaves.”
But just like their colonial cousins in Mexico, Filipino tamales also vary from region to region in the country.
Bulacan tamalis
Bulacan tamalis (often spelled with an “i” instead of “e”) might be small, but they make for great merienda with a cup of tsokolate or cape on the side. They’re quite affordable too, costing more or less around 10 to 20 pesos each.
Rachelle’s Sherbert and Ice Cream from Bulacan is mostly known for its desserts, but they also sell Bulacan tamalis. Like other Bulacan tamalis shops the rice for the dough is ground and cooked down so fine it feels really smooth to the tongue. They are made with rice flour and salted egg, topped with sweet toasted coconut crumbs or latik, packaged in bright banana leaves. I really love the lightly sweet coconut flavor in the steamed rice dough and latik, which counters the savory salted egg inside.
As noted by the shop’s tamalis tagline: “Giniling na bigas na may itlog na maalat at latik sa ibabaw,” or made with rice flour with salted egg and topped with sweet coconut crumbs.
Batangas tamales
Batangas tamales are almost twice as large as Bulacan tamales, which make them filling and delicious meals-on-the-go. In fact tamales were a protein-rich portable meal used by Mexican revolutionaries and Aztec warriors for hunting trips or to fuel armies.
Ka Bella’s Tamales of Lipa, based in Batangas, makes these larger tamales filled with chicken, pork, and peanuts. These are definitely heartier versions of Philippine tamales, and one or two are already enough to fill you up. Their recipe dates back to the 1800’s and was passed down through their grandmothers or lolas since. They offer four variations: original classic, no-pork, spicy, and espesyal with salted egg, ranging from 55 to 65 pesos each.
Pampanga tamales or bobotu
Locally known as bobotu, Kapampangan tamales are also large, and can make for a complete meal. Once opened they look like little mosaics of red, white, and yellow, made with giniling a abias (rice flour), gata (coconut milk), sabo na ning atsuete (annato powder), simulmul ning ligang manuc (shredded chicken), penguiling ham (sliced ham), and ligang ebun (boiled egg).
Zamboanga Tamales
Travel southward and see how far tamales have gone, all the way to Zamboanga. When still wrapped in banana leaves, they look like wide, stout, suman. Peel them open, take a bite and enjoy another rice-dough-based tamale, this time filled with boiled egg and peppery pancit bihon or sotanghon.
Filipino tamales recipes
You can find different recipes of the above Philippine tamales below:
- Kapampangan tamales or bobotu recipe. Or watch a video here.
- Zamboanga tamal recipe video here.
I couldn’t find any Bulacan tamales recipes but there is a video of a Bulaceño who makes them here.
For a Mexican tamales recipe, check out this one here from MyLatinaTable.
Vegan tamales recipes
In Mexico, and even dating back to ancient times, vegetable-based tamales have also been enjoyed. Old recipes include tamales filled with squash seeds and spinach eaten during Lent. Other recipes in Mexico include lima beans as well.
For a vegan tamales recipe, since most of the tamale is made with rice flour or corn flour anyway, you can simply fill them up with any flavorful bean or vegetable filling you can imagine.
As an example, check out this vegan recipe for red chili jackfruit tamales.
As I find more and more tamales, I plan to update this post as I go. What kind of tamales have you tried in the Philippines or Mexico?
Filipino Tamales art!
Because I love Filipino tamales so much, I made artwork on my different shops below. Do check them out, or give a gift of Filipino tamales to a friend.
Totebags on my Redbubble shop:
- Batangas Tamales totebag.
- Bulacan Tamales totebag.
- Zamboanga Tamales totebag.
- Kapampangan Tamales totebag.
- Filipino Tamales Tamales totebag.
Artprints on Filipino Food Art Society6: