I can never find banana leaves to make tamales or pasteles. I usually wind up making them with corn husks. I have made an order for them online in the past but they always show up half rotted away. Does anybody know where to get these that are good quality?

I don't know where to find banana leaves but would love to have a recipe for homemade tamales. The the supermarket ones stink. Care to share your recipe?

I've never gone looking for banana leaves. I have heard you can buy them fresh or frozen at Asian grocery stores. In my area we have lots of ethnic grocery stores - Asian, Hispanic, African, etc. I don't make tamales so I don't really know, but is making them with banana leaves typical or traditional? If so I would think that you could buy them at a Hispanic grocery store. If they don't sell them, they may have a good suggestion on where to buy them locally.

I always thought that Tamales were made with corn husks, and then filled with some corn meal before adding the meat mix.

As for me, I've only had Old El Paso tamales and somehow think they are no where near a real tamale. Come on Bandaloop and give us your secret recipe for real tamales. We could use a nice change of pace in our meals here at our house.