Tamales with Red Chili and Chicken Filling

Ingredients

• 6 medium guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 medium ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 chiles de arbol, stemmed and seeded
• 4 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 2 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 recipe Basic Tamale Dough
• 3 dozen dried corn husks, soaked in water for at least 1 hour

Directions

1. Set all the dried chiles in a large Dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Toast them for about 3 minutes, turning them often, until they smell fragrant and deepen a little in color.
2. Move the chiles to a medium saucepan and add 4 cups water to cover. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chiles are completely softened.
3. Drain the chiles through a fine-mesh strainer placed over a medium bowl. Put the chiles in a blender with 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Add the garlic and cumin, then blend until the mixture is smooth.
4. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl and press the sauce through it with a rubber spatula. Throw away anything left in the strainer.
5. Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pour in the red chile sauce and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring the whole time, until it thickens to a tomato paste-like texture.
6. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Tuck the chicken thighs into the sauce, lower the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for about 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads between 175-185 degrees F.
7. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave it until it is cool enough to handle. Shred the meat with your hands or with two forks.
8. As the chicken cools, turn the heat up to medium-high and boil the sauce until it reduces slightly and thickens a bit. Take it off the heat, cool it briefly, then add salt and pepper to taste. Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce and set it aside.
9. Place 1 corn husk on your work surface. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of tamale dough onto the wider end and spread it into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, keeping a 1-inch border around the edges of the husk.
10. Add a heaping tablespoon of filling in a line through the middle of the dough. Bring the sides of the husk over so the dough wraps around the filling, then fold the bottom of the husk up. Tie it closed with a thin strip torn from another husk. Continue the same way with the remaining husks, dough, and filling.
11. Pour 1 inch of water into a large pot and bring it to a boil. Stand the tamales upright in a steamer insert or on a rack, keeping them above the water. Cover and steam for about 1 hour, until the dough is fully cooked and releases cleanly from the husk.
12. Take the tamales out of the steamer and let them sit for about 15 minutes, until the dough sets. Serve right away, or refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to four months. To reheat, defrost first if frozen, then steam until hot, or microwave on high for 2 minutes.