In Mexico, there are around 500 varieties of tamales

Red, green, sweet, mole, shrimp or bean, are some of the more than 500 varieties of tamales in Mexico and will be enjoyed this February 2 on Candlemas Day.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader), tamale is an icon of Mexican food, since it has been part of the diet for hundreds of years, and also represents a large part of Mexican culture.

The entity states in its blog that the preparation of tamales is a tradition, therefore, must be accompanied by certain rituals.

It points out that some of the beliefs held regarding the preparation of this food are that to be "good", it is necessary to cross the dough; In addition, while they are preparing they must sing so that they do not leave sour.

Another belief is that if there is a person "hungry" or who is crying in the house, they should leave because otherwise, they remain raw; and when the tamales are "doing the begging", that is, they take time to cook, they must kick or shake the steamer.

It is also thought that a pregnant woman should not make tamales because they are "pintos", which means cooked parts and raw parts, and if she participates in the preparation, a red ribbon should be tied around the belly.

Nor should the steamer be opened during cooking because they are waxed and remain "pintos"; These, among other myths, are part of the beliefs of Mexicans regarding the traditional tamales.

La Sader points out that in pre-Hispanic Mexico it was believed that the person who ate the tamale stuck in the pot would be persecuted by a curse; if it was a man, he could no longer shoot the arrows in war and if he was a woman, he would not have a good birth.