Assembling tamales — like our version based on an Ecuadoran recipe — becomes fun for the whole family when you use parchment paper wraps instead of the usual delicate corn husks.

Ingredients

• Dough and filling for tamales
• 10- by 12-inch sheets parchment paper (1 for each tamale)

• 30-inch lengths kitchen twine (1 for each tamale)

Instructions

1. Bring the long sides of the paper together and fold them down along the center of the tamale.

2. Fold in the short ends of the paper and flip the tamale so that it's seam side down.

3. Slide a loop of twine beneath the tamale as shown.

4. Thread the loose ends of the twine through the top loop and pull them taut across the center of the tamale.

5. Flip the tamale and tie the twine.

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