You steam them in a corn husk you're not supposed to eat, yet someone at the table always tries.
Fun fact: Archaeological evidence suggests Mesoamerican civilizations were making tamales as far back as 8000 BC.
You'd think fermented soybean paste in hot water wouldn't slap that hard, but here we are.
Fun fact: Buddhist monks spread it across Japan during the Kamakura period as a protein source under meat bans.