Tamales Colorados de Navidad (Colorful Christmas Tamales)

http://www.mayaparadise.com/recipeshow.asp?ID=1

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds of tomatos
• 2 large pimiento chiles
• 3 dried chiles (include if you want it more spicy)
• 2 ounces of pepitoria (ground pumpkin seeds)
• 2 ounces de ajonjolí
• 1 small stick of cinnamon
• 1 ounce of lard
• Achiote (Annatto)
• Salt

Preparation:

• Boil the tomatos with the pimiento chiles and dried chiles with a small amount of water.
• Liquify and colander while adding the achiote.
• Brown the ground pumpkin seeds, ajonjolí, and cinammon, and grind it dry in a blender.
• Mix the resulting powder with to cooked tomatos and colander.
• Boil for 20 minutes, adding the ounce of lard, pieces of meat and additional seasoning.
• This recado sauce needs to be rather thick and a bit salty since the tamales lose salt when they are cooked.