Where does Sweet Corn Tamales come from?

Sweet Corn Tamales — country of origin: El Salvador.

What is Sweet Corn Tamales made of?

Sweetcorn, corn masa, sugar, butter, cheese.

How do you pronounce Sweet Corn Tamales?

Tamales de elote (Spanish, El Salvador) is pronounced /taˈmales de eˈlote/.

Sweet Corn Tamales

Tamales de elotePronunciation (IPA) /taˈmales de eˈlote/

Sweet corn tamales from El Salvador, made from fresh corn and masa, steamed in corn husks and often served with crema.

Also known as: Tamales de elote · Tamal de elote · Elote tamales

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Milk (including Lactose)

Contains milk and milk products (including lactose)

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Tamales de elote are sweet corn tamales from El Salvador, made from fresh corn and masa and steamed in corn husks.

They are a Salvadoran version of the tamal, a dough cooked inside a leaf wrapper. Because the dough is built on fresh sweet corn, the result is softer and sweeter than the savoury tamales most diners know.

What it really is

Fresh sweet corn is ground and mixed with corn masa, then sweetened with sugar and enriched with butter. Cheese, usually a soft white cheese, is folded into the dough. The mixture is spooned onto a corn husk, wrapped, and steamed until it firms into a soft, moist cake. The husk is peeled away and is not eaten.

There is no meat in the dough. In its classic form the dish is made only from corn, dairy and sugar, which makes it vegetarian.

How it's served

Warm, unwrapped from the husk at the table and eaten with a fork.
Often with crema, a thin, pourable Central American cream, spooned over the top or served on the side.
As a snack or a breakfast item, often with coffee.

Name the corn: "sweet corn tamale" or "tamal de elote", and say that it is made with fresh corn and masa.
Flag milk, which comes from the butter and cheese in the dough. Name the cheese if a guest asks.
Ask the kitchen whether egg or extra fat is used, since recipes vary from cook to cook.
Mark the dish as vegetarian, and state whether crema is included or charged as an extra.
Say whether the husk is left on for presentation, and that the husk is not eaten.

Typical ingredients

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Frequently asked questions

What is Sweet Corn Tamales?: Sweet corn tamales from El Salvador, made from fresh corn and masa, steamed in corn husks and often served with crema.
Where does Sweet Corn Tamales come from?: Sweet Corn Tamales — country of origin: El Salvador.
What is Sweet Corn Tamales made of?: Sweetcorn, corn masa, sugar, butter, cheese.
Which allergens does Sweet Corn Tamales contain?: Contains milk and milk products (including lactose).
What is Sweet Corn Tamales also known as?: Tamales de elote, Tamal de elote, Elote tamales.
How do you pronounce Sweet Corn Tamales?: Tamales de elote (Spanish, El Salvador) is pronounced /taˈmales de eˈlote/. Select the speaker button next to the dish name to hear it.