how do you eat a tamale?
Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but I'm not very familiar with this mushy dish wrapped in corn husks, and I have never seen someone eat one. Are you supposed to peel back the husk as you bite off pieces of the interior? Eat it with a fork and knife? Spoon? Are they generally eaten as a snack or as a main dish? If someone could enlighten me please!
re: Sam Fujisaka
Sam, doesn't it depend on what type of tamal (such as Guatamalan or Salvadorian) the person is eating. I have had 'wet' tamales that you couldn't possibly eat with your hands/fingers. Gotta say that those were some of my favorites. Also, OP, not all tamales are 'mushy' some have a firmer masa than others.
I peel back or take off the husk and eat the tamal spoon some salsa on top and eat with a fork.....if the tamales are really tasty or already spicy i might skip the salsa (some do not make it too spicy because of the kids) I never had a mushy tamale but some have thicker masa on it than others.
Christmas its the main dish...other times if you are lucky to get them as renz said to get some they are a treat to enjoy with the other food.
Next morning they are great with eggs...mmmmm
They can be enjoyed anytime as a snack, main dish, or accompany other food.
Christmas is when "everyone" makes them but some make them year around to sell or other special occasion or just because.
I'm not going to say where I get them, but we have a parking lot tamale lady who makes tamales that are so good that I always eat one in the car on the way home. Peel back the corn and eat from the top, a bit like a burrito.
The ones at home get extra salsa and the fork treatment.
Eat them however it makes the most sense to you. I don't know what kind of tamales you have, why they are mushy, or how mushy they are. If they are too mushy to eat with your hands, then use a utensil. If a fork is closer than a spoon, then use a fork. If they are so mushy that the parts sip through the tines of a fork, then use a spoon. If they are to hard to cut with a fork or a spoon, then use a knife.
How I eat tamales:
Once they are warm, I open the husk, and eat them with either a fork, or my hands.
sometimes, I'll put salsa and/or s. cream / guacamole on them.
I love them chopped up, and cooked in scrambled eggs for breakfast.
There is no "correct way" to eat tamales. There is no Martha Stewart rule of etiquette (and even if there was, does that mean you would HAVE to follow it???)
Snack, main dish, fork, spoon, knife?
The answer is: yes.
I really like a tamale with white rice and chili. I either mix everything up into a mash, or keep the tamale separate and alternate bites, but something about it makes me happy. Adjust the heat level and I'm off.
Then again, I can pretty much eat anything with rice.