Cabbage and Spinach Tamales - cabbage

Method

• Cut the banana leaves into squares, 10in x10in.
• Set aside.
• In a large stock pot, bring abundant water to a boil.
• Once boiling, add the shredded cabbage and blanche for 3 minutes.
• Remove from the water, and lay out to dry, removing as much liquid as possible.
• Repeat this same step with the spinach, squeezing out as much liquid possible once blanched.
• You will end up with a tight and small amount.
• Sift together the all-purpose flour with the baking powder.
• Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy.
• Add the egg yolks, one by one and keep beating for another 10 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl every so often.
• Add the cheese, salt, pepper and the minced onions.
• Continue to beat until incorporated.
• Add the flour and baking powder and continue beating until all is incorporated.
• The dough will have a sticky consistency, and it will be relatively dense.
• Add the blanched cabbage and spinach, and mix with a spatula until the ingredients are incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites plus a capful (1 teaspoon) of plain, white vinegar, until you have a meringue.
• The egg whites will form stiff, short peaks.
• Gently fold the meringue into the other mixture until all incorporated, without deflating the egg whites.
• Lay a banana leaf flat on the counter and scoop a ladle of mixture in the center.
• Add some sliced cheese in the center.
• Fold the sides of the banana leaf in, followed by folding in the bottom and top ends, enclosing the mixture in the banana leaf, like a small packet.
• Place the tamales, sides down in a "tamalera" (a pot made for steaming tamales that has a perforated insert and a pot for the water), or another steaming pot.
• You can create your own steaming pot by fitting a steel colander in a bigger pot, making sure it doesn't touch the bottom.
• Fill the bigger pot with water and turn on the heat to medium.
• Steam cook for 30 minutes.
• Serve warm.