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Natural Awakenings Milwaukee Magazine

Raw Portabella Tamales: Original Recipe from Café Manna

This dish is comprised of a sweet yellow corn filling and spiced portabella mushrooms, dehydrated together and served in a traditional cornhusk wrap. It’s an ideal summer entrée when freshly harvested local corn is available. Cooking food can diminish some of its nutritional value, while raw foods are packed with enzymes that enhance digestion and energy. These delectable, raw tamales are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber.

Corn Filling

Ingredients

5 cups fresh sweet corn
2 tomatoes, seeded and minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
¼ cup sundried tomato, chopped
1 ¼ cup pine nuts, soaked in water 8 hours and drained
1 ¼ cup cashews, soaked in water 8 hours and drained
1 tsp salt
1 tsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp cilantro
1 clove garlic
½ cup lime juice

Place 3 cups of corn, the tomatoes and pepper in a bowl. Process all other ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add processed ingredients to bowl and mix by hand.

Spiced Portabellas

Ingredients

4 portabella mushrooms, quartered
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
3 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Toss all together and dehydrate for 6 hours at 110 degrees.

To Assemble Tamales

Soak 12 cornhusks in warm water for 1 to 2 hours, and then dry carefully. Lay husks flat and put 1/2 cup of corn mixture onto the center of each husk. Spread filling a bit and place a few spiced portabella slices in center. Fold the bottom up over the filling and then roll (like a burrito).

Dehydrate tamales for two hours at 110 degrees.