Ecuadorian Christmas celebrations are similar to those in other Latin American countries, where at Christmas Eve and New Year's, desserts, milk- and egg-based drinks, and the famous tamales are served, known by different names across various countries.
This exquisite and delicious food, a legacy of the indigenous peoples who governed Mesoamerica and South America, has over 7,000 years of history, and its flavor and preparation continue to be a point of pride for new generations.
The tamal dates back to around 5000 BC, possibly 7000 BC, in pre-Columbian history. Initially, women were taken into battle as cooks for the army, preparing dough for tortillas, meats, stews, drinks, etc. As the warrior tribes of Aztec, Mayan, and Inca cultures grew, the demand for preparing nixtamal (corn) became so overwhelming that the need arose for a more portable, sustainable food product. This necessity spurred women's creativity... thus the tamal was born.
Tamales could be made in advance, packaged, and reheated as needed. They were steamed, grilled on a comal (griddle) over fire, placed directly on embers to warm, or eaten cold. We have no record of which culture created the tamal, but it is believed that one began it, and others quickly followed.
The tamal evolved rapidly and eventually diversified into numerous varieties unknown today. There were simple tamales, those with red, green, yellow, or black chili, chocolates, fish, frog, tadpole, mushroom, rabbit, squirrel, turkey, bee, egg, pumpkin flower, honey, ox, seeds, and nuts. There were also tamales with white and red fruits, plain white, yellow, dried meat, grilled meat, stewed meat, bean and rice tamales. Sweet sugar tamales, pineapple, raisins, cinnamon, berries, plantain, and pumpkin variants also existed. Hard and soft cheese tamales, roasted quail, ant, potato, goat, boar, lamb, and tomato tamales—so many varieties to imagine.
The shapes, colors, and fillings of tamales varied almost as much as their ingredients. They were steamed, oven-baked, fire-roasted, toasted, grilled, fried, or boiled. Fillings included corn husks, plantain leaves, cloth, avocado leaves, soft tree bark, and other edible, non-toxic leaves. The most used were corn husks, banana leaves, and avocado leaves.
Over millennia, varieties narrowed to the most common, which now include red and green chilies, chicken, pork, beef, sweet fillings, chili, cheese, and more recently, vegetables. The method of making tamales also changed over time.
Given the intensive work and time required for preparation, tamales became holiday food, reserved for special occasions. This tradition persisted for thousands of years, with family women working together to make sauces, prepare meat, craft the dough, and finally assemble and wrap the tamales before steaming them in large pots on the stove.
The process takes all day; preparations often begin one or two days in advance. It is almost unheard of to make just a few tamales. Usually, hundreds are prepared at a time. Everyone—young and old, family and friends—is invited to Tamale feasts, where they are enjoyed, savored, and loved by all.
Tamales have always been beloved by the Hispanic people, and in the 20th century, they became well-known and cherished by many cultures worldwide, just like sushi and dim sum, which in the past were also celebration foods.
