The Tamal, the national dish with which Colombians celebrate Christmas

The tamale is not just anything, it is a recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation, becoming a tradition that is not only consumed at the end of the year, but also for special celebrations, and there are even regions where it is consumed daily.

To prepare it, many times the whole family and friends gather at home, because there is a whole production chain that allows everyone to contribute a bit of their effort to bring it to the table.

Colombian Sandra Bustamante told the voice of america that all her life she has prepared tamales for the end of the year and that she has inherited this tradition from her mother and has now passed it on to her children and grandchildren.

“The most important thing is the love that is put into making them. Here we cook it on a wood stove because its preparation is better, ”she says.

According to Bustamente, the banana leaf is essential for cooking, because it adds a special flavor while preserving the smells, the flavor and does not allow the rice, peas, carrots, beef, pork and chicken, the ingredients with which it is cooked, are lost.

Additionally, it is seasoned with garlic, pepper, finely chopped onion, cumin and salt, then it is applied firea special stew that is made from lard, finely chopped long onion, garlic, color, pepper and cumin to fry over low heat.

This mixture of ingredients makes it one of the most typical dishes in Colombia, which together with the fritters and custard for Christmas, reaches almost everyone’s table on December 24 and 31 to celebrate the holidays.

The origin of the tamale is Mexican and its name goes back to the indigenous word tamalli, which means wrapped. In Colombia it is customary to accompany it with bread, arepa and chocolate. It is usually ready to be served, after about three hours of preparation, in a giant pot where they are carefully placed. They are available in bakeries, cafeterias, restaurants, market chains and tamale companies. Its price per unit is around 8,000 Colombian pesos, about 2 US dollars.

When it comes to its preparation, each corner of the country has its own rules for tamales. It all depends on the region, but the most desired are those from the departments of Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Santander, Antioquia, Cauca and Bogotá.

This dish has become a sacred meal, and without it it cannot be considered a complete Christmas dinner that the Colombian people are proud of.

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