Tamales three ways: birria, green chili chicken and cheeseburger

Birria filling: brown beef in a pressure cooker, remove; add onions, garlic and a little apple cider vinegar, return the beef. Blend softened chilies with seasonings and tomatoes to a puree, add, and cook at high pressure 50 minutes.

Green chili chicken filling: mix shredded cooked chicken with diced green chilies, about a tablespoon of chipotle paste and shredded Monterey Jack until the chipotle is through it.

Cheeseburger filling: cook ground beef in a little oil in a hot pan, breaking it up, with a little Montreal steak seasoning; add diced yellow onion once it changes colour, and cook until no pink is left.

Off the heat, stir in mayo, a little yellow mustard and chili sauce to make the sauce in the pan; let cool.

Beat half a cup of lard a couple of minutes until smooth.

Mix the masa harina with a teaspoon of baking powder, about half a teaspoon of salt, and about a teaspoon each of chili powder and cumin.

Add the masa mixture to the lard slowly, alternating with a little chicken broth, until smooth, paste-like and spreadable like peanut butter but not wet. Cover with a wet paper towel to keep it from drying out.

Soak corn husks three or four hours or overnight until soft; choose decent-size ones and use the smooth side.

Spread about a quarter cup of masa on each husk, add a couple of spoonfuls of filling, fold the sides over, and optionally tie with strips of husk.

Stand the tamales upright in a steamer over about an inch and a half of water, cover with a spare husk and the lid, and steam 90 to 120 minutes.

They are done when the masa separates from the husk; if the husk sticks, they are not done. Rest a little before eating; serve with sour cream or salsa if wanted.