Open and remove the seeds from all the chiles. Place them in a medium saucepan with the onion, garlic, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes until softened.

Blend everything together with the chicken bouillon powder. Be careful! The blender lid can pop off due to the heat. Blend until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a medium pot and heat the oil over medium heat. Add the blended sauce and reduce to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Cut the pork into small pieces and cook in salted water. Once the pork is cooked, remove it, shred it, and reserve the broth.

Mix the masa with the lard, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. If the masa is too dry, add 1 cup of the reserved broth and mix. The consistency should be smooth, soft, and slightly sticky.

Mix the shredded pork with the adobo sauce and let it cool slightly. The mixture should not be too runny.

Cut the banana leaves into rectangles about 14 by 10 inches (35 by 25 cm).
Take about 3 oz (90 grams) of masa and spread it on one end of the leaf, forming a surface about 6 by 7 inches (15 by 18 cm) and about 3/8 inch (10 mm) thick.

Place 2 tablespoons of the pork filling in the center of the masa.

Fold the masa over itself as you wrap it with the banana leaf to form a loose roll. Fold the sides inward to make a package.

Wrap the package in a sheet of aluminum foil, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.

Place the tamales in a steamer pot with enough water. Lay any leftover or torn banana leaves on the bottom of the steamer rack and on top when closing the pot. Arrange the tamales so steam can circulate freely, always laying them horizontally, not vertically.

Cover the pot with kitchen towels or damp cloths, or plastic bags over the tamales and leaves to keep the steam in. Bring the pot to a boil and keep it at medium heat for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check regularly to make sure there’s enough water in the pot.

After the time is up, carefully open the pot. When the tamales are cooked, remove them and let them cool to room temperature before eating.

Enjoy them with coffee or soda.