Honduran Ticucos (Bean Tamales)
Ticucos are small Honduran corn tamales with whole cooked beans mixed into the masa. Loroco, an edible flower bud, or chipilín leaves add a herbal flavor. Dried corn husks hold the dough in compact parcels as it cooks.
The beans stay whole: fold them gently into the corn masa, rather than spreading a mashed-bean filling in the middle. Chef Carlos Espinal uses this method in his ticucos de loroco; his chipilín version also mixes whole beans through the dough.
Ticucos are associated with western Honduras and are especially common during Lent and Semana Santa. They differ from nacatamales, which have a separate meat filling, and montucas, whose dough is made from fresh corn.
Use cooked, drained beans for the recipe below. The dough should hold its shape without cracking; add water gradually to reach that consistency. Serve the cooked parcels warm with coffee, crema or encurtido. For a smooth bean spread to serve separately, see frijoles fritos.
Honduran Ticucos Recipe
Prep: 40 min · Cook: 1 h · Yield: 12 tamales
Ingredients
- 4 cups masa harina
- About 3 cups warm water, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup oil or lard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cooked red beans, drained and kept whole
- 1/2 cup cleaned, chopped loroco or chipilín leaves, optional
- Dried corn husks, washed and soaked until pliable
Instructions
- Mix the masa harina, salt and oil. Add warm water gradually until the dough is soft and holds together without cracking.
- Gently fold the whole cooked beans and loroco or chipilín into the dough. Avoid crushing the beans.
- Divide into 12 compact portions. Put each portion in a soaked corn husk, fold the husk around it and tie with a strip of husk.
- Set the parcels above simmering water in a covered steamer. Steam for about 1 hour, replenishing the water when needed, until the masa is firm and pulls away from the husk.
- Rest for a few minutes, then unwrap and serve warm. Cooking time depends on parcel size; continue steaming if the center is still soft paste.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are ticucos?
Ticucos are small corn-husk tamales from Honduras. Whole cooked beans and loroco or chipilín are mixed through the masa before the parcels are wrapped and cooked.
What is loroco?
Loroco is an edible flower bud used in Central American cooking. Chop it and mix it into the dough for this version of ticucos. Chipilín leaves are another traditional choice; they are a different ingredient.
When are ticucos eaten?
Ticucos are especially popular during Lent and Semana Santa, or Holy Week, and are also eaten at other times of year.
How are ticucos different from nacatamales?
Ticucos have beans mixed through corn masa and are wrapped in corn husks. Nacatamales are usually larger, wrapped in banana leaves, and contain a separate filling of meat, rice and vegetables.