Tamales are a yummy food that people love to eat, especially during special times like New Year’s and Christmas. They are a big part of Latino culture and are fun to make and eat with family and friends!
When making tamales, you can put all sorts of tasty things inside. Susette likes to put green chili and cheese in hers. Doesn’t that sound delicious? You can also add corn, beans, or even meat. You can be creative and choose your favorite fillings!
Once you’ve filled your tamales, it’s time to cook them. First, you need a big pot. At the bottom of the pot, there’s some water. Then, you put a layer of foil and cover it with a lid. The tamales will steam in the pot, and you have to wait and watch the numbers on the timer to know when they are ready. It’s like a little countdown to a tasty treat!
Tamales are not just about the food; they are about spending time with people you love. Making tamales together is a fun activity, and when they are finally ready to eat, everyone gets to enjoy the delicious flavors they created together. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays!
Did you know that tamales have been around for thousands of years? People have been enjoying them for a very long time, and they are still a favorite today!
Now that you know all about tamales, maybe you can try making them with your family. It’s a fun and tasty adventure!
Design Your Own Tamale: Use colored paper, scissors, and glue to create your own tamale design. Think about what fillings you would like to put inside. Would you choose cheese, beans, or something else? Draw or cut out pictures of your favorite fillings and glue them inside your paper tamale. Share your creation with the class and explain why you chose those fillings.
Family Cooking Adventure: Ask a family member to help you make real tamales at home. Use the recipe from the article or find another one you like. As you cook, pay attention to the steps and how long it takes to steam the tamales. Afterward, talk about how it felt to make food together and what you enjoyed most about the experience.
Explore Tamale Traditions: Talk to someone in your family or community who knows about tamale traditions. Ask them questions like: Why do they like making tamales? Do they have a special memory about tamales? What fillings do they use? Write down or draw what you learn and share it with your classmates.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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What are you putting in your tamales?
Dear Susette, I’m putting in green chili and cheese.
Oh, that sounds so good! I’m adding corn to mine.
Did you know that Latino culture makes tamales mostly around New Year’s and Christmas?
It’s so fun for the holidays!
Ooh, what is that?
That’s a tamale, and it’s almost ready to eat!
But you’re going to have to cook it first.
Ooh, how do we cook it?
If you see here, the pots are cooking. There’s some water at the bottom, then foil, and the lid is on. We’re waiting and timing it. As you can see up here, there are some numbers that let us know when it’s going to be ready, and then it’s going to be ready to eat!
Oh, I can’t wait!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
