Ecuadorian Christmas celebrations are quite similar to those of other Latin American countries, where desserts, milk and egg-based drinks, and the famous tamales—known by different names across various countries—are essential on Christmas Eve and New Year’s tables.
This exquisite and succulent dish, a legacy of the indigenous peoples who ruled Mesoamerica and South America, boasts a history of over 7,000 years. Above all, its flavor and preparation continue to be a source of pride for new generations.
The tamal dates back to around 5000 BC, possibly 7000 BC, in pre-Columbian history. Originally, women were taken to battle as cooks for the army, preparing masa for tortillas, meats, stews, drinks, etc. As the warrior tribes of Aztec, Mayan, and Incan cultures grew, the demand to prepare nixtamal (corn) became so overwhelming that the need arose for a more portable and sustainable food product. This necessity sparked the creativity of women... thus, the tamal was born.
Tamales could be made in advance and packaged for later heating. They were steamed, roasted on a comal (griddle) over fire, placed directly on embers to warm, or eaten cold. We have no records indicating which culture created the tamal, but it’s believed that one culture began it, and others soon followed.
The tamal quickly evolved into a variety of forms, colors, and fillings that are unfamiliar today. There were simple tamales, those with red, green, yellow, and black chiles, tamales with chocolate, fish, frog, tadpole, mushroom, rabbit, squirrel, turkey, bee, eggs, squash blossom, honey, ox, seeds, and nuts. Some contained white and red fruits, white, yellow, and dried meat, roasted meat, stewed meat, beans, and rice. Others included sugar, pineapple, raisins, cinnamon, berries, banana, and pumpkin. There were also tamales with hard and soft cheese, roasted quail, ants, potato, goat, wild boar, lamb, and tomato. Well, you get the idea.
The sizes, colors, and shapes varied almost as much as the fillings. They were steamed, baked in the oven, roasted over fire, toasted, grilled, fried, and boiled. Fillings were often made from corn husks, plantain leaves, fabric, avocado leaves, soft tree bark, and other edible and non-toxic leaves. The most commonly used were corn husk, plantain, and avocado leaves.
Over the millennia, varieties narrowed down to the most common, now including red and green chiles, chicken, pork, beef, sweet fillings, chili, cheese, and more recently, vegetables. The way tamales were made daily also changed.
With such a labor-intensive and time-consuming preparation, tamales became holiday foods, reserved for special occasions. This tradition persisted for thousands of years, with family women working together to make sauces and meats, prepare the masa, and finally assemble and wrap the tamales before steaming them in large pots on the stove.
The process takes the entire day, often starting one or two days in advance. It is almost unheard of to make just a few tamales. Usually, hundreds are prepared at once, with everyone—young and old, family and friends—invited to tamale feasts where they are enjoyed, savored, and loved by all.
Tamales have always been beloved by the Hispanic community, and in the 20th century, they became known and cherished across all cultures, just like sushi and dim sum, which were also once festive and celebratory dishes.
