Guatemalan Tamalito de Elote

Let me introduce the famous “Tamalito de Elote.” Made of corn, it’s one of the simplest ones when it comes to its ingredients. No over the top sauce or meat, no luscious herbs but instead the purest taste of corn. If you’ve ever heard of Men of Maize (“Hombres de Maíz” in Spanish), a novel by Guatemalan Nobel Prize in Literature winner Miguel Ángel Asturias, you might find it interesting to know the title of the book is a reference to the Maya’s belief that their flesh is made of corn. Even though the book doesn’t reference the tamalitos, it’s perhaps a testament to the nourishing benefits of corn and a constant reminder of Guatemalan’s roots.

Text by Sofia Letona, photo by Rudy Girón

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