Making Tamales

As I have mentioned before tamales are the typical Christmas food in Costa Rica. At this time of the year you can buy it everywhere. Every family either buys mountains of it or prepares mountains of it at home. Today we made some at home.

First we prepared the banana leafs.

Then we prepared all the ingredients: The dough out of mashed potatoes and corn flour and spices, cooked carrots and beans, olives, cooked eggs, cooked chicken breast, prunes, paprika and of course rice.

Then we put everything on two crossed over leafs...

...and wrapped everything in like a little present.

Eventually we cooked them in water...

...and then ate the first ones! Really, really tasty!