Tamales de Rajas con Queso — Poblano strips and Oaxacan cheese

Soak the corn husks in a large bowl or sink full of warm water for at least 30 minutes until completely pliable. Weight them down with a plate to keep them submerged.

Make the rajas filling: roast the poblanos directly over a flame or under the broiler until charred all over. Steam in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel, remove seeds, and cut into 1 cm strips. Sauté the onion in a little oil until soft. Combine the poblano strips, onion, and crema in a bowl. Season with salt.

Make the masa: beat the room-temperature lard in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on high speed for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the baking powder and salt.

With the mixer running, alternately add the masa and warm broth in small additions. Beat for 5–7 minutes until the masa is very light and fluffy. Test: drop a small piece into cold water — it should float. If it sinks, beat for 3 more minutes.

Drain the corn husks and pat dry with a towel. Select the largest, most intact husks for the tamales. Tear narrow strips from smaller husks to use as ties.

Spread a thin layer of masa (about 3 mm, roughly 60 g) on the wide part of a husk, leaving a 3 cm border on the sides and a 5 cm border at the narrow end. The masa layer should be even and not too thick.

Place 1–2 tablespoons of rajas filling down the center of the masa. Add a small amount of shredded cheese over the filling. Fold the sides of the husk over the filling so the masa seals around it, then fold up the narrow end. Tie with a strip of husk. Repeat with remaining husks and filling.

Stand the tamales upright in a steamer basket over boiling water, open end up. Steam for 60–75 minutes over consistently boiling water, adding more hot water as needed. The tamales are done when the masa pulls cleanly from the husk. Rest 10 minutes before serving — they firm up as they cool slightly.