Nacatamales Michoacanos de Angahuan

Michoacán, the Meseta P'urhépecha, Angahuan under the shadow of Parícutin: that is where this nacatamal belongs. It is made for Noche de Ánimas, set first as ofrenda for the dead, then eaten by the living once the table has done its duty. La cocina no es decoración, es trabajo.

Do not confuse this with the Central American nacatamal. In Angahuan, the work is masa nixtamalizada beaten with manteca de cerdo, carne with chile perón, and hoja de maíz fresca de la planta. Not dried corn husk. The fresh leaf smells green because it came from the milpa, and it gives the masa a surface and perfume the dry husk cannot imitate.

I learned to pay attention to these tamales from cocineras around Uruapan, Pátzcuaro, and the Meseta. They do not speak of one tamal as if all tamales were the same. Corunda is triangular. Uchepo belongs to tender corn. Jahuácata carries layered masa and beans for Candelaria. Charicorunda is smaller and chile-stained. Chápata is sweet with piloncillo and beans. Tsïkanarhikata still belongs to the Meseta. Toquera is maíz nuevo, between tamal and gordita. Cada estado, su propia cocina, and inside Michoacán each pueblo guards its own method.

The chile perón is the signal here, round, fruity, hot, with black seeds. The charales from Pátzcuaro, Chirostoma jordani et al., belong beside the plate with lime, not because they decorate the food, but because the lake is part of this kitchen too. Cook over leña if you can. Use a comal de barro if you have one. La manteca es el sabor. Así se hace y punto.