[header] How to cook tamales [title] Pour 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water into a large pot and add a steamer basket. [step] Set an 11-quart (10.4 liter) pot on the stove. Pour in about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water into the pot and place a steamer basket in the pot. 
The water should come just below the steamer basket. [substeps] If your steamer basket has water in the bottom of it, pour out a little of the water.