Let's make a better tamale pie!

I tried this recipe "Chicken-Chilli Tamale Pie" in Everyday Dorie - The way I Cook, by Dorie Greenspan 2018 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
But, it is mainly a cornbread casserole; to get a real tamale flavour you need more masa and especially, the flavour from the corn husks AND STEAM!

Yes, the idea was to make a quick dinner, but it wasn't very quick and missed the flavour points, so let's start over.

Tamale Pie

Cut up in small cubes a small sweet potato or a piece of winter squash, simmer about 8 minutes until just beginning to get tender, drain and set aside.
Simmer a cup of frozen corn until tender, save the water and divide the corn 1/3, 2/3 into two bowls. (Or, open a can of corn!)

While these are cooking, do the mise en place for these items:

A - the dry ingredients for the corn dough
  1 cup + 2 T quick grits
  1 -1/2 cup boiling water
  1 cup masa or masa for tamales
B - Put big handful of corn husks in a baking dish and cover with 
  hot water (just boiled)
C - the wet ingredients for the corn dough + the 1/3 corn.
  1/3 of the corn
  6 T butter
  6 T lard
  1 T sugar or honey
  2-1/4 t baking powder
  1/4 t salt
D - the first saute ingredients - oil, onions, etc.
  If using dried peppers: Ancho chillies and or 4 of N. Mexican chillies
  If using fresh green chillies, first roast and peel, then cut in narrow 
	strips.
  3 T veg oil or part sesame oil
  1 large onion
  6 garlic cloves
  1/4 t ground cumin
  1/4 t oregano
  1/2 t salt
  3 cups broth
E - the second saute ingredients - meat etc.
  1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
F - the third saute ingredients - tomatoes etc.
  1 can Ro*Tel Original Finely Chopped Tomatoes & green chillies
  1 can black beans, drained
	2/3 of the corn
	the sweet potatos
  2 T Chilli powder
  1 1/2 t cider vinegar
  1/4 t cocoa powder

Start with prep group D.
If using dried chillies, toast them in a dry pan and set aside.
If using fresh chillies, fry those in the oil, drain in divide 1/3 2/3.
Then in the same oil, fry the chopped onion 5-7 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt. Add either the roasted dry peppers or 2/3 fried fresh peppers, cook about 30 seconds more. Add the broth, simmer for 10 minutes, process in blender until smooth. Set aside.

Using Group A and B, combine everything except the hot water, then add enough hot water to make a good masa dough. Set aside

Using groups E and F, fry up the chicken until seared, then add the other ingredients and simmer until chicken is fully cooked.

Assembly:
Line a large steamer pot with corn husks. Spread the masa dough over the husks. You may make more layters like this. Then put in the cooked chicken part, and cover with the sauce. Over that you could put another layer of husks and masa. Put the steamer over boiling water until the masa dough is done.

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